This is a weekend dish. Not in the sense that it is complicated — it is not — but in the sense that it demands time and rewards patience. A bone-in lamb shoulder, rubbed with baharat and left overnight to marinate, then roasted at 140°C for seven hours, becomes something that barely needs a knife. It falls from the bone at a touch, shreds effortlessly, and carries the warmth of the spice mix through every strand.
The format is Middle Eastern in spirit: everything arrives at the table at once, the lamb pulled in the roasting tin, surrounded by warm flatbreads, a bowl of thick yoghurt, fresh herbs, fried onions and a bottle of pomegranate molasses to drizzle as you go. Guests serve themselves. Conversation tends to follow.
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
For the lamb
- 1 bone-in lamb shoulder, 2.2 to 2.5kg
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1½ tsp fine salt
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 200ml chicken or lamb stock
For the flatbreads
- 300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 180g full-fat natural yoghurt
- Olive oil for cooking
To serve
- 200g thick Greek yoghurt
- 4 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- Seeds of 1 pomegranate
- Large handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly picked
- Large handful fresh mint leaves
- 2 medium onions, thinly sliced and fried in oil until deep brown and crisp
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Method
1. Marinate the lamb (ideally overnight)
Combine the olive oil, grated garlic, all spices, salt and lemon juice to form a paste. Score the lamb shoulder all over with a sharp knife, making cuts about 2cm deep. Rub the paste into the scores and all over the surface. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 4 hours.
2. Roast the lamb
Remove the lamb from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking. Preheat the oven to 220°C (fan 200°C).
Place the lamb in a deep roasting tin. Roast uncovered for 20 minutes until the surface is beginning to colour. Pour the stock around the base of the lamb — not over it — and reduce the oven to 140°C (fan 120°C). Cover tightly with two layers of foil, crimping around the edges of the tin to seal completely.
Roast for 6 to 7 hours. The lamb is ready when the bone pulls cleanly from the meat with minimal resistance. Remove from the oven and allow to rest, still covered, for 30 minutes.
3. Make the flatbreads
Combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Add the yoghurt and mix to a soft, slightly sticky dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly for 1 minute. Divide into 8 equal portions and roll each to a rough oval, 3 to 4mm thick.
Heat a dry heavy pan over high heat. Cook each flatbread for 2 minutes per side until charred in spots and puffed. Brush with a little olive oil as they come off the heat. Keep warm wrapped in a clean cloth.
4. To serve
Transfer the lamb to the table still in its roasting tin. Provide two forks for pulling — guests help themselves. Set out the flatbreads, yoghurt, pomegranate molasses, pomegranate seeds, herbs, fried onions and lemon wedges in separate bowls or boards alongside.
Notes
- The pan juices in the roasting tin are worth skimming and serving as a simple sauce — they will be deeply flavoured and rich.
- Baharat is available ready-mixed from most Middle Eastern food shops and good delis, and can be used in place of the individual spices listed here at roughly 2 tablespoons total.
- Leftovers, if any, make exceptional sandwiches the following day with the remaining yoghurt and a little harissa.