This rosemary garlic and honey slow-cooked lamb shoulder is the most incredible lamb roast I’ve ever made! Succulent, fall-apart meat on the inside, crispy browned on the outside and with the most delicious, caramelised sauce. This lamb recipe is perfect for weekends, Christmas, Easter or Thanksgiving. This is true reader favourite!
In This Post: ℹ️ Recipe Overview | | 🛒 Ingredients | 📷 How To Make | 🍠 Serving Suggestions | 📝 Go To Full Recipe | ⚖️ How Much Lamb Per Person? | 👩🍳 Lamb Leg vs Shoulder
Best Slow-Cooked Lamb Shoulder Roast
I love roasting meat on the weekends or for special occasions like Christmas or Easter and lamb roast is our family favourite. And while there are many lamb roast recipes out there, this is the best I have made and has been much loved by my readers.
The secret is scoring the lamb with deep slits so you’re able to rub seasoning and rosemary in as much meat as possible, plus insert the garlic cloves for maximum flavour.
The lamb is then slow-roasted in the oven with some red wine and water to keep it lovely and moist AND to form an incredible pan sauce. The lamb shoulder is roasted covered with foil for just over 2 hours, then drizzled generously with honey and finished uncovered for 30 more minutes.
Lamb juices and honey dribble into the pan broth, which reduces and caramelises during cooking. This gives you the BEST red wine, rosemary, and honey lamb sauce without you having to do extra work!
This is the main I’ve made for Christmas and Easter, and everyone loves it. For this recipe, I used a 1.3 kg (2.8 lb) lamb shoulder, which is typically big enough for 6 people, but you can roast two lamb shoulders for more people (I’ve provided adjusted cooking times in the recipe card below)..
What You’ll Need For Lamb Roast
Here is what you will need for this lamb should recipe. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.
- Lamb shoulder – for this recipe, I used a smallish lamb shoulder with the bone in, about 3 lbs (1.3 -1.5kg), which is plenty for 4-6 people. If you’re cooking for more people, you can either use a larger lamb shoulder OR cook two in a large baking tray. See recipe notes for measurements and cooking times variations. You can use boneless lamb shoulder as well, it will take less time to cook.
- Rosemary – this recipe uses 5-6 large sprigs and the needles are pulled off and chopped so they can be rubbed into the meat. I love fresh but you could use dry herbs instead, about 2 tablespoons. Thyme could also be used.
- Garlic – lamb meat loves garlic so go to town here. I cut the cloves into long pieces as they are easier to insert into the slits of the meat.
- Seasoning – salt, pepper and smoked paprika, which I love with the lamb.
- Honey – any runny honey can be used.
- Red wine – this adds flavour and acidity to our lamb gravy sauce.
How To Make Slow-Cooked Lamb Shoulder
You will find full recipe instructions and nutritional breakdown below. Here are the steps for how to cook slow-cooked lamb shoulder in the oven.
- Step 1. Preheat the oven to 180 C / 356 F.
- Step 2. Pull the needles off the rosemary sprigs and chop them into small pieces. Cut the garlic cloves (lengthways) into 2-3 pieces each.
- Step 3. Place the lamb shoulder on a cutting board, meatier side up. Use a sharp knife to score the top with deep slits (see photo).
- Step 4. Drizzle with olive oil and rub it in. Sprinkle each side with salt, pepper, smoked paprika and chopped rosemary, rubbing everything into the meat cuts. Insert garlic pieces in the slits and any folds of the meat.
- Step 5. Add 1 cup of water and 2/3 cup of red wine to a deep roasting pan. Place the lamb shoulder inside, meatier side up. Cover with one piece of foil, tucking the edges close to the meat and with another piece of foil covering the edges of the pan. It’s a double foil wrap.
- Step 6. Place in the preheated oven, middle shelf, and cook for about 2 hours and 15 minutes.
- Step 7. After cooking for that long, remove from the oven and take off the foil. Scoop some of the juices from the pan and drizzle over the lamb meat. Then drizzle generously with honey, about 4 tablespoons, spreading it evenly over the meat. You don’t need to turn the lamb shoulder over, just drizzle the top.
- Step 8. Pop back in the oven with no foil wrap and cook for another 30 minutes. I find this is long enough and the top of the meat will be well-browned and the honey caramelised. The liquid in the pan will reduce quite a bit, with the honey and lamb juices incorporated into the sauce and caramelised.
- Remove from the oven and cover with foil for about 5-10 minutes to rest. Then use the spoon to scoop and drizzle the sauce in the pan over the lamb. Serve as is or carve the meat and serve in the pan sauce.
👩🍳 Recipe Tips
- You can add some pre-boiled potatoes or fresh carrots to the pan for the last stage of cooking. They will absorb some of that lovely sauce though.
- A bone-in lamb shoulder has more flavour and stays juicy during slow cooking. If using boneless, reduce the cooking time slightly.
- For maximum flavour, rub the lamb with spices, garlic, and herbs, then let it marinate overnight in the fridge.
- Spoon the cooking juices over the lamb every hour or so to keep it moist and flavorful.
- Once cooked, rest the lamb for at least 20 minutes before shredding or slicing. This keeps it juicy and tender.
- If you love crispy edges, crank up the oven to 450°F (230°C) for the last 15 minutes or broil it for 5 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
So, what should you serve with lamb shoulder? For classic pairings, serve with roasted or mashed potatoes, carrots and some greens (try my French green beans or lemon asparagus). Feeling a little more Mediterranean? Serve with creamy tzatziki, tomato cucumber feta salad and warm pita bread, or garlic potatoes; or, make some lamb wraps or pulled lamb sandwiches. For a Middle Eastern twist, serve with fluffy couscous or rice and my refreshing Persian salad.
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Ingredients
- 1.2-1.4 kg lamb shoulder about 3 pounds
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 5 sprigs rosemary needles pulled off and chopped
- 6-8 cloves garlic cut in halves lengthways
- 2/3 cup red wine
- 1 cup water
- 4 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 C / 356 F.
- Pull the needles off the rosemary sprigs and chop them into small pieces. Cut the garlic cloves (lengthways) into 2-3 pieces each.
- Place the lamb shoulder on a cutting board, meatier side up. Use a sharp knife to score the top with deep cuts (see photo).
- Drizzle with olive oil and rub it in.
- Sprinkle each side with salt, pepper, smoked paprika and chopped rosemary, rubbing everything into the meat cuts.
- Insert garlic pieces in the cuts and any folds of the meat.
- Add 1 cup of water and 2/3 cup of red wine to a deep roasting pan. Place the lamb shoulder inside, meatier side up. Cover with one piece of foil, tucking the edges close to the meat and with another piece of foil covering the edges of the pan. It’s a double foil wrap.
- Place in the preheated oven, middle shelf, and cook for about 2 hours and 15 minutes.
- After 2 hours, remove from the oven and take off the foil. Scoop some of the juices from the pan and drizzle over the lamb meat. Then drizzle generously with honey, about 4 tablespoons, spreading it evenly over the meat. You don’t need to turn the lamb shoulder over, just drizzle the top.
- Pop back in the oven with no foil wrap and cook for another 30 minutes. I find this is long enough and the top of the meat will be well-browned and the honey caramelised. The liquid in the pan will reduce quite a bit, with the honey and lamb juices incorporated into the sauce and caramelised.
- Remove from the oven and cover with foil for about 5-10 minutes to rest. Then use the spoon to scoop and drizzle the sauce in the pan over the lamb. Serve as is or carve the meat and serve in the pan sauce.
Notes
Cooking time variations
Lamb shoulder sizes and cooking times while covered:- 1-1.2 kg (2.4-2.6 lbs): 2 hours of cooking while covered
- 1.2-1.5 kg (2.6-3.3 lbs): 2.5 hours of cooking while covered
- 1.5-2kg (3.3-4.4 lbs): 3 hours of cooking while covered
- If you go slightly less or more, it won’t affect the result too much.
Make-ahead tips
You can do all of the lamb prep 24 to 48 hours prior and store it wrapped in the fridge. Then just pop it in the oven on the day. Take it out of the fridge 15-30 minutes before come to room temperature.Storage Tips
🥡 Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container with some of the cooking juices to keep them moist. It’ll stay fresh for 3-4 days. ❄️ Freezer: Shred the lamb, store it in portions, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat gently. 🔥 Reheating: Warm in a pan with a splash of stock, leftover cooking juices, or a drizzle of olive oil to bring back the moisture. For crispy bits, reheat under the broiler for a few minutes!Nutrition
How Much Lamb Meat Per Person?
The meat shrinks while cooking, revealing a big bone in the middle, so the lamb shoulder will look smaller once roasted.
An average 1.5 kg / 3 lb lamb shoulder yields about 700-800 g/1.4lb of meat once cooked. This should be enough for about 5 people (4 if they are very hungry and love lamb). I find that with side dishes, you can stretch it out.
For example, I will be cooking for about 10 people on Christmas eve, so I plan to cook 2 x 1.2-1.5 kg lamb shoulder in one pan with lots of sides.
Lamb Leg vs Lamb Shoulder
Lamb shoulder is a fattier cut of lamb with more connective tissue and requires low and slow cooking BUT is also tastier as a result in my opinion.
It should be slow-cooked on low to moderate heat, which allows all that connective tissue and fat to melt into the meat, resulting in very succulent meat. A shoulder is smaller than the leg so it usually takes around 3 hours at 180 C / 356 F.
In a nutshell, I find lamb shoulder has more flavour and is easier to cook.
A lamb leg is leaner and has less connective tissue so it usually cooks a little faster but can get tougher if overcooked and not covered in enough liquid (see my next point!).
The main thing to remember about the lamb leg is that it should either be cooked at a high temperature fast to blushing pink & juicy (under 2 hours at 220 C / 425 F, like in this recipe https://www.recipetineats.com/roast-lamb-leg-with-gravy/. Or, it can be slow-cooked until it falls apart, but that takes more like 5-6 hours at 170C. Anything in between can be tough and not very nice.
Both lamb shoulder and lamb leg will taste delicious with rosemary, garlic and honey and cooked with red wine.
If you want to use lamb leg for THIS particular recipe, I recommend using the low and slow cooking method and adding extra water and wine to the pan. You would roast at 170 C / 338 F for 4-5 hours under the foil, then uncover and drizzle with honey and roast for an additional hour. Check halfway to see if you need to add more water and wine to make sure it doesn’t dry out AND you have enough liquid for the jus.
Oh, this recipe sounds really yummy and I am going to try it on Easter weekend. Can I use a Dutch Oven and would you change the cooking time? I am going for the low and slow option. Thank you for sharing this beautiful recipe.
Hi Gigi, that’s a good question. It depends on how big your Dutch Oven is. I did mine in a baking tray so there is hot air circulating around the lamb once you pull the foil off. In theory, it should work, I would maybe add extra 15 minutes or so without the lid at the end.
This recipe is dahn delicious. Flavour some and sooo tender. I used a little less honey as didn’t want it too sweet but will use the specified amount next time to taste the difference. It’s so moreish, I had to have seconds!
I served it with baked potatoes, carrots, steamed brocolli and cauli sprinkled with olive oil and lemon juice.
Thanks, Kristen 🙂 I know what you mean by moreish, I always go for seconds with this one.
WOW this turned out so good. I’m usually not great at making meat but I followed the recipe closely and it turned out sooo tender. The flavors worked perfectly with the flavor of the lamb. Thanks so much
Thanks so much, glad you liked it.
Lovely recipe. I used 2 garlic bulbs on my boneless shoulder and because I had no smoked paprika I used Hungarian. There was a lot of liquid leftover, so I strained the fat and made a delish gravy. Great recipe
This is a simple super recipe, the meat did not taste wild and was tasty and moist. I used 2 garlic bulbs , I did not have smoked paprika – so I used Hungarian paprika. I did have a lot of flavoured liquid remaining in the pan. I strained it and made a light gravy. It looked beautiful as well lol. I will make again. My guests really enjoyed it.
Thank you so much, Debbie 🙂
Fab recipe, cooked to perfection, no wild taste and easy to make, a real keeper.
Made this for dinner last night with a Lamb Forequarter. It was beautiful- so tender and tasty! Thanks so much for the recipe
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it 🙂 Irena
It was my first time cooking a lamb roast and this recipe worked out well. I added potatoes and carrots towards the end and it reminded me of pot roast.
Glad you enjoyed it, I too often add veggies towards the end.
Will make it again, thanks!
Can you convert this into a slow cooker/ croc pot? and if so what would you recommend.
Hey Alexis, for this particular recipe I haven’t tried doing it in a slow-cooker. You can take the inspiration and use the seasonings and flavours with lamb meat in a slow cooker. I would have to test it out before I could recommend timings.
I can’t waite to try this recipe. I have made lamb stew but never any other part. Anxious to try the honey and garlic on the rost.
I hope it worked well and you liked it 🙂
Hi
Do you think I can prep this the night before??
Thank you
Yes, absolutely. You can do all the lamb prep 24 to 48 hours prior and store it wrapped in the fridge. Then just pop it in the oven on the day. I would take it out of the fridge 15-30 minutes prior to come to room temperature.
Is it 180 Fan ?
Regular, not fanned.
Made this today for tonight…and goodness gracious me, it was absolutely delicious!!! Thank you so much for sharing!
This is absolutely going to be saved in our home!
Thanks, Jade 🙂
I have always been nervous to try to cook lamb, but your recipe helped me overcome it. This turned out perfect!
Thanks, Paula 🙂
Hi I would like to not use the red wine ,what alternative do you I use from pantry or would it be ok and not dry if I didn’t substitute this ?
Thank you 😀
Hi Tabatha, I would use beef stock and maybe add a tablespoon of Balsamic vinegar, which will add a little bit of that grape acidity you’d get from the wine.
I’m going to be making this tomorrow. I have 2 bone in roasts that are about 4.5lbs each. 2 quick questions. What would you say cook time should be (covered and uncovered) and what kind of red wine would you use?
Hey Louis, I am not sure I got your comment in time as it’s the weekend and I usually don’t get online. Red wine – any decent red wine will work, I think I might have used some Shiraz for this one but you can use Merlot or Cabernet Sav. I assume you are doing two roasts at the same time. I would say 3 hours covered and 20-30 minutes uncovered.
I made this slow-cooked lamb shoulder for a dinner party, and it was a hit! The rosemary, garlic, and honey created such a rich and flavorful dish that everyone loved. Thank you for this fantastic recipe!
Omg this dish turned out so well!! The lamb was perfectly cooked and super tender, and was so flavorful too.
This is a great way to prepare lamb. I love the synergy of rosemary and lamb. The meat just falls off the bone.
This recipe is perfect, I love this, my family love this! Thanks for sharing this slow cooked lamb.
Hello, I have a ‘boneless’ rolled lamb shoulder (1.4kg).
By how much will this alter the cooking time can someone please tell me?
Hi Kristie, here is some info from the Notes under the recipe.
“Rolled boneless lamb shoulder (~1.1 – 1.3kg): cook time as per recipe.” so for 1.4kg it’s just a little bit longer, like 5 minutes.
Hi Irena.
I have 0.805kg lamb shoulder chops. How do I adjust the recipe for this? I’ve never cooked lamb before but my bf loves it and I wanted to surprise him with a meal.
Hey Sue, if you got to the recipe card, there are Notes below with timings for different weights.
We have our own sheep, so an almost endless supply of roasts has allowed me to try a number of recipes. Most turn out nice but all seem to look and taste pretty much the same. We’d been longing for something that looked and tasted different, and boy did we find it in this fantastic recipe! Fantastic instructions, the best step-by-step photography I’ve seen, so easy to prepare and cook, and the finished results are simply superb! Easily the best lamb shoulder recipe I’ve found, and a regular treat for guests. Thank you from New Zealand, Irena, for this wonderful recipe 😀
Absolutely delicious! Really easy to prepare, will definitely be making this again
Thank you very much. Irena 😀
fantastic, loved by all the family, this is a keeper!
Excellent way to prepare lamb shoulder. Perfect in every way.
Is the thawed first?
Do you mean the lamb? Yes, it should be fresh or thawed from frozen first.
I tried it for dinner and just loved it. So tender
Thank you 🙂
Can I make this with a 4 pound lamb shoulder with a bone? How would the cooking time be adjusted?
Hey, Elizabeth, I think I have the timing variations in the notes. From memory, 4 lbs would be about 3 hours of total cooking.
We are staying with friends at present and my hubbie cooked this for dinner last night. Very tasty. I didn’t know it was one of your recipes Irena till this morning. That explains why it was so nice.
Haha, that’s really cool. Glad you all liked it.
Just, thank you for this recipe. I just tried the first bite. Exquisite!
Thanks, Angela. I really appreciate you taking the time to comment and leave a rating.
Saving this recipe for Easter. Looks so mouthwateringly delicious!
This is my new favorite way to enjoy lamb! It’s incredibly tender, flavorful and easy to prepare! Going to make this again during the holidays 🙂
Thanks, Kathryn 🙂
What a fantastic recipe! Lamb is my mom’s favorite, and we will enjoy this roast for a very special holiday meal. Thank you for the detailed instructions and photos, too.
This lamb shoulder is going to be going on your holiday rotation year after year once you make it. It’s so tender, and juicy, and I love the drippings it creates to make gravy with.
Thanks, Sharon 🙂