This Braised Lamb Shoulder is juicy, tender and delicious. Cooked in the oven until it’s fall-apart tender, moist, and served with a flavorful gravy made from the delicious drippings.
Table of Contents
When you want a recipe in your arsenal for any dinner party, that can also be on the table with little fuss, this is the recipe for you – braised lamb shoulder with gravy.
This would be the perfect dish for Christmas or Easter but it’s always appreciated for any occasion!
Ingredient notes
- Lamb Shoulder – Look for a bone-in lamb shoulder that is approximately 6-7 pounds. Or, use a boneless lamb shoulder that is about 4-5 pounds and has been tied up.
- Olive oil – Extra virgin.
- Onion – Yellow onion or sweet onion works best.
- Shallots – I like to halve my shallots lengthwise. You can leave the skins on, as they will get strained out later.
- Carrot – No need to peel. Rough chopped.
- Celery
- Garlic – I use a head of garlic that I halve lengthwise. No need to peel the cloves.
- Fresh Thyme
- Dry White Wine – Or, if you prefer to cook without alcohol, swap in some beef or chicken broth.
- Fresh Orange Juice & Orange Rind Strips
- Pure Maple Syrup
- Apple Cider Vinegar – You can also use balsamic, red wine vinegar or champagne vinegar.
- Salt & Pepper
How to make it
- Season it: Sprinkle the lamb generously with salt and black pepper and let stand at room temperature 1 hour, or chill, uncovered, at least 8 hours or overnight.
- Sear it: Add lamb, fat side down; cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Carefully turn lamb over; cook, turning occasionally, until golden on all sides, 10-12 minutes longer.
- Saute the aromatics: Reserve the lamb drippings in the skillet and add the onion, shallots, carrot, and celery. Cook until vegetables soften, 10 to 12 minutes. Add garlic and thyme; cook, stirring often, until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in wine, orange juice, maple syrup, vinegar, and orange peel strips.
- Bake: Nestle lamb on vegetable mixture. Transfer to a 350-degree oven and roast for 2 ½ hours. After the lamb has cooked for 2 ½ hours, add the potatoes to the oven. Continue roasting the lamb and the potatoes for 30 minutes. At this point, the lamb should be fork-tender. Remove the lamb and let it rest on a carving board, covered with foil. Reserve the drippings in the pot. Increase the oven heat to 450 F. Toss the potatoes and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes while the lamb rests. They are done when they can be pierced easily with a fork.
- Make the gravy: To make the gravy, strain the solids from the liquids in the skillet. Place the liquids into a small saucepan or skillet and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, whisk 2 TBSP cornstarch with 2 TBSP water to form a slurry. Add the slurry to the simmering liquid and cook until thickened. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve: Shred the lamb into pieces and serve with roasted potatoes and gravy. Enjoy!
What to serve with it
- More → my must try lamb side dishes
How to make ahead and store
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave for a couple minutes. Or, heat in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes.
Erin’s wine pairings
- Cabernet is an excellent pairing with the rich lamb.
- Petite Sirah is another great match for this lamb. Its flavors of plum, berries and black pepper pair wonderfully with stronger flavored meats.
- Malbec with medium body and smooth tannins makes an excellent pairing for the rich lamb shoulder.
- MORE → my 8 favorite lamb wine pairings.
More lamb recipes
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Full Recipe
Braised Lamb Shoulder
This Braised Lamb Shoulder is juicy, tender and delicious. Cooked in the oven until it’s fall-apart tender, moist, and served with a flavorful gravy made from the delicious drippings.
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Serves 8 people
Equipment
- Skillet (Oven Safe)
Ingredients
- 1 6-7 pound lamb shoulder (bone-in, or 1 (4- to 5-pound) boneless lamb shoulder, tied)
- 2 Tablespoons kosher salt (plus 1 teaspoon, divided)
- 1 Tablespoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil (extra-virgin )
- 1 medium yellow onion (roughly chopped)
- 3 shallots (halved lengthwise)
- 1 carrot (roughly chopped)
- 2 sticks celery (roughly chopped)
- 1 head garlic (halved crosswise)
- 1 bunch thyme sprigs
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 strips orange peel
For Gravy:
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
Potatoes:
- 1 pound mini potatoes
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary (finely chopped)
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (finely chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Sprinkle the 1 6-7 pound lamb shoulder with 2 Tablespoons kosher salt and 1 Tablespoon black pepper. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour, or chill, uncovered, at least 8 hours or overnight.
- Preheat your oven to 350-degrees F. Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet, Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add lamb, fat side down; cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Carefully turn lamb over; cook, turning occasionally, until golden on all sides, 10-12 minutes.
- Remove lamb from skillet, reserving the drippings in the pan.
- Heat the drippings over medium heat. Add the 1 medium yellow onion , 3 shallots, 1 carrot, 2 sticks celery and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and begin to brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low. Add 1 head garlic and 1 bunch thyme sprigs; cook, stirring often, until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 cup dry white wine, 1 cup fresh orange juice, 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup, 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar, and 3 strips orange peel.
- Nestle lamb, fat side up, on vegetable mixture; bring to a boil over medium-high. Remove from heat and cover the skillet with foil (or if using a dutch oven, with the lid). Transfer to the preheated oven and roast for 2 ½ hours.
Potatoes:
- Toss all ingredients together on a baking sheet. After the lamb has cooked for 2 ½ hours, add the potatoes to the oven.
- Continue roasting the lamb and the potatoes for 30 minutes. At this point, the lamb should be fork-tender. Remove the lamb and let it rest on a carving board, covered with foil. Reserve the drippings.
- Increase the oven heat to 450 F. Toss the potatoes and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes while the lamb rests. They are done when they can be pierced easily with a fork.
Gravy:
- To make the gravy, strain the solids from the liquids in the skillet. Place the liquids into a small saucepan or skillet and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, whisk 2 TBSP cornstarch with 2 TBSP water to form a slurry. Add the slurry to the simmering liquid and cook until thickened. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
To Serve:
- Shred the lamb into pieces and serve with roasted potatoes and gravy. Enjoy!
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave for a couple minutes. Or, heat in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 670kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 0.1mg | Sodium: 1766mg | Potassium: 468mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1465IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1mg
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