Greek Lamb Shoulder And Potatoes In the Oven

This easy, slow-cooked Greek lamb shoulder and potatoes in the oven recipe will make your lamb so soft and tender that it falls right off the bone. It’s super quick to prepare and easy to get just right. Just close the oven door and let it work its magic.

And if you’re looking for more delicious lamb recipes, be sure to check out my lamb Kleftiko or my slow-roasted Greek lemon lamb recipe!

Why You Will Love This Greek Lamb Shoulder Recipe

• Incredible tenderness: The lamb will become so soft and juicy that, with minimal effort, it will literally fall off the bone.
  
• Bold Mediterranean flavours: When garlic, rosemary, and lemon are combined, you'll create an absolutely mouth-watering dish!
  
• Flavour-packed potatoes: These potatoes will soak up all the beautiful juices from the lamb, making them the perfect side without any extra work!
  
• Simple to prepare: This dish requires minimal prep, and the oven does all the work.
  
• Perfect for gatherings: This dish will impress everyone, whether you're having a casual family dinner or a special occasion!
  
• Aromatic experience: Trust me, as it slowly cooks away, your kitchen will fill with the beautiful smells of garlic and herbs. It's the ultimate teaser.

Watch the video tutorial

Want to see how it's done? Watch my step-by-step video tutorial on roasting this Greek-style lamb shoulder and see how easy it is.

Don't forget to like, comment, and share this video with friends who love Greek food!

Overview of the key steps

1. Prepare the lamb: Slice holes in the lamb and stuff it with garlic and rosemary. Stuffing it deep with extra flavour is a simple step that makes a big difference! Then, give it a hit of lemon juice, olive oil, and seasonings.
   
2. Season the veggies: Chop your potatoes, carrots, and onions and toss them with olive oil and lemon juice that's fallen off the lamb. Add some salt and pepper, and these vegetables will soak up all the delicious juices while roasting.
   
3. Roast slowly: Cover the lamb and cook in the oven. Give yourself a break for a few hours, and relax. Then uncover it to get that perfect, crispy browned finish.
   
4. Baste and serve: When the lamb is finished roasting, let it rest so all the juices settle in. Trust me, you'll think it’s worth the wait!

Ingredients Overview

Here’s a quick look at the fresh ingredients that make this dish so tasty. The exact amounts are in the recipe card below!

• Lamb Shoulder: This cut is full of flavour! It has a good amount of fat, which will render it off as it cooks, making it perfect for slow roasting. Not only is it my favourite part to cook, but it's straightforward to get that fall-off-the-bone tenderness.
  
• Rosemary & Garlic: Are a match made in heaven! When you start roasting, you will smell them throughout your whole house. Most importantly, they infuse the lamb with an earthy, herby flavour that's absolutely delicious.
  
• Potatoes: Roasting them with the lamb means they soak up all those beautiful flavours. As the fat renders and the juices begin to soak up in the potatoes, they become soft and tasty.
  
• Carrots and onions: Not only do they add variety and colour, but the carrots add sweetness, and the onions give the dish extra depth. As they roast with the lamb, they get caramelized and full of flavour, and the steam they give off also infuses the lamb!
  
• Olive Oil & Lemon: This is what turns the lamb Greek, haha! I'm being a little biased but this combination is my favourite. The olive oil adds richness, while the lemon brings a bright, fresh, slightly zesty, and the perfect amount of kick to the dish.
  
• Chicken Stock: Adds a little bit of extra flavour, especially to the vegetables. The liquid is crucial to helping keep the lamb moist, ensuring it comes out more tender and juicy.

Preparation

Before cooking, I always like to have everything ready and within reach. Start by getting a chopping board for your lamb to sit on. This will make it safer when making the incisions for the garlic and rosemary.

Next, wash your potatoes and carrots and peel your onions if you want to be extra ready. Prep your rosemary sprigs and lemons, and have a squeezer on hand to extract as much juice as possible.

For this dish and most of my cooking, I always use my Scanpan roasting pan, which measures 44cm x 32cm. If you have a different-size roasting pan, that’s fine as well. Just make sure it’s large enough to hold everything comfortably.

Make sure you have ready baking paper and aluminium foil so everything runs smoothly when it's time to roast.

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions

Here are the exact instructions for making this dish. Just follow along with the photos below, numbered to match each instruction, and you’ll have a delicious meal ready to serve in no time with no fuss.

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan-forced). It should be ready by the time you finish preparing everything.

2. Peel the garlic cloves, then slice about 3 thinly while leaving the rest whole. Remove the rosemary sprigs to clean them.
   
3. Score the lamb shoulder with a sharp knife, making 10-15 small slits. Then, insert the garlic slices and rosemary into the slits, and push them in deep to prevent them from burning.
   
4. Prepare the vegetables: Cut the potatoes and onions into quarters and the carrots into large chunks. Now put all the vegetables in your roasting pan.
   
5. Place the lamb on top of the vegetables. Squeeze the lemons over the lamb, and allow the excess juices to drip onto the vegetables for added flavour.
   

6. Drizzle olive oil all over the lamb shoulder and add oregano, salt, and pepper. Massage it well and ensure the seasoning is on both sides of the lamb.
   
7. Season the vegetables by adding extra salt and pepper, then add the remaining whole garlic cloves and rosemary over the vegetables.
   
8. Add the chicken stock to the roasting pan, but don't pour it directly over the lamb. We don't want to wash off any of the seasonings.
   
9. Cover everything with a wet sheet of baking paper, then a layer of aluminium foil to seal in moisture, creating the perfect environment for steaming and creating juices.
   
10. Roast the lamb for 3 hours and 45 minutes without interruption.
    

11. Remove the foil and baking paper, then use a spoon to baste the lamb with the juices inside the pan. Then, put it back in the oven, uncovered, for an additional 20 minutes until the lamb is golden brown and crispy. Don't throw away the foil; we will keep this for later.
    
12. Check for tenderness by using a fork to pull apart the meat. You should also notice that the bones can slip out with minimal force. If it’s not tender enough, put it back in the oven and continue checking until you are happy.
    
13. Let the lamb rest: Once it’s done roasting, remove it from the oven and loosely cover the dish with the foil from before. Try and give it a good 15 minutes to let all the juices settle inside the meat.

Tips for Cooking the Perfect Greek Lamb Shoulder

• Go for bone-in lamb shoulder: I really think the bone adds so much flavour as it slow-cooks and, from my experience, makes it more tender.
  
• Patience is key: Slow roasting the lamb gives it that melt-in-your-mouth experience.
  
• Don't skip the resting: Once out of the oven, give the lamb at least 20 minutes to rest under foil. This lets the juices redistribute, making the lamb extra juicy and tender when you serve it.

Serving suggestions

When I cook this Greek lamb shoulder and potatoes, simple sides are all I serve it with. Here’s what I recommend to complete this dish:

• Greek Salad: This is a beautiful village-style (horiatiki) salad, the most refreshing salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, and Kalamata olives. It goes absolutely beautifully!
• Tzatziki: This creamy Greek yogurt and cucumber dip adds a refreshing coolness. It is one of the world's most famous dips/ sauces, making it a lamb's best friend.
• Crusty Bread: Let's not forget a good slice of bread! To finish off this dish perfectly, you absolutely have to clean up your plate by mopping the juices with some homemade crunchy bread!

Storage

• Leftovers: If you happen to have any lamb and vegetables left over, or maybe you cooked extra for lunch the next day, allow them to come to room temperature, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They will stay fresh for up to three days. Personally, I love enjoying the leftovers for lunches; you really can't beat it.
  
• Reheating: When you're ready to eat and want to warm it back up, I recommend reheating it in the oven. All you have to do is cover it with foil and warm it at a low temperature, around 150°C fan-forced, until it's heated through. Make sure it's covered, as it keeps the lamb from drying out.

FAQ

I hope this slow-cooked Greek lamb shoulder and potatoes in the oven recipe becomes a favourite in your home, just like mine. Give it a try, and don’t forget to leave a comment below to let me know how it turns out. Happy roasting!

📖 Recipe

Greek Lamb Shoulder And Potatoes In the Oven

Savour this slow-cooked Greek lamb shoulder and potatoes recipe. A tender roast, infused with garlic and rosemary, falls right off the bone.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Total Time 4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Greek, Mediterranean

Servings 4

Calories 965 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2.5 kg Lamb shoulder Bone in
• 10 grams Fresh rosemary
• 1 Whole garlic bulb
• 5 Potatoes
• 4 Carrots
• 2 Onions
• 3 Lemons
• ¼ cup Olive oil
• 2 teaspoon Dried oregano
• Salt To taste
• Pepper To taste
• 2 cups Chicken stock Can substitute for beef stock or water

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan-forced).
• Peel the garlic cloves, slicing 3 of them thinly while keeping the rest whole. Remove the rosemary from their sprigs.
• Use a sharp knife, making 10-15 small slits in the top of the lamb. Then, insert the garlic slices and rosemary into the slits, and push them in deep to prevent them burning.
• Quarter the potatoes and onions, then cut the carrots into large chunks. Place all the vegetables in a roasting pan.
• Place the lamb shoulder on top of the vegetables. Squeeze the juice from the lemons over the lamb, letting juice drip onto the vegetables.
• Drizzle the lamb with the olive oil and sprinkle with oregano, salt, and pepper. Rub the seasoning over both sides of the lamb.
• Season the vegetables with salt and pepper, then scatter the remaining whole garlic cloves and rosemary over the vegetables in the pan.
• Pour the chicken stock into the roasting pan, making sure to avoid pouring it directly over the lamb.
• Cover the lamb and vegetables with a sheet of wet baking paper, followed by a layer of aluminum foil to seal in moisture.
• Roast the lamb in the oven for 3 hours and 45 minutes.
• After this time, remove the baking paper and foil, then use a spoon to baste the lamb with the juices inside the pan. Then put it back in the oven, uncovered, for an additional 20 minutes until the lamb is golden brown and crispy. Don't throw away the foil, we will keep this for after.
• To check for doneness, use a fork to pull apart the meat. You should also notice that the bones can pretty much slip out with minimal force. If it’s not tender enough, put it back in the oven and continue checking until you are happy.
• Once it’s done roasting, remove from the oven and loosely cover the dish with the foil from before. Try and give it a good 15 minutes to let all the juices settle inside the meat.

Video

Notes

1. Lamb on Vegetables: I find it important to make sure the lamb is placed on top of the vegetables, not directly on the bottom of the pan. This allows the lamb to cook evenly being propped up.
2. Boneless Lamb Shoulder: If you’re using boneless lamb shoulder, reduce the cooking time by about 20-30 minutes.
3. Cooking times: If your lamb shoulder is smaller or larger than 2.5 kg, small adjustments won’t affect the final result much as the lamb shoulder needs time to break down properly. Keep it covered for at least 3 hours then you can start peeking, and making any adjustments if need be.

Nutrition

Calories: 965kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 89gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 256mgSodium: 506mgPotassium: 2797mgFiber: 12gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 10309IUVitamin C: 104mgCalcium: 162mgIron: 11mg

Keyword Greek Lamb Shoulder And Potatoes In the Oven, greek slow cooked lamb chunks, roast lamb shoulder

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