Traditional Lamb Shoulder Roast

By
Syrie Wongkaew
Syrie Wongkaew
Sydney-based food writer, editor, photographer, and food stylist with a focus on Australian and Thai cuisine.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/5/23
Traditional Lamb shoulder roast on a white platter

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 90 mins
Total: 105 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
932 Calories
28g Fat
108g Carbs
64g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 932
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 28g 35%
Saturated Fat 7g 34%
Cholesterol 163mg 54%
Sodium 1573mg 68%
Total Carbohydrate 108g 39%
Dietary Fiber 12g 45%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 64g
Vitamin C 59mg 296%
Calcium 148mg 11%
Iron 10mg 54%
Potassium 3351mg 71%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

It's no secret that Australians and New Zealanders love lamb. They eat it by the rack, in a stew, and as biryani (an Indian lamb and rice dish). But perhaps one of their favorite ways to prepare this tender meat is to roast it. This recipe is very easy, and once you taste its marvelous flavor, you'll likely want to put this into your regular meal rotation, perhaps with some mint sauce on the side, as Australians often do.

The two most common lamb roast cuts are the leg and the shoulder. The shoulder, which is used in this recipe, has more fat than the leg, and therefore requires slower cooking. If you have chosen to use a leg instead of a shoulder, simply cook it for 20, 25, or 30 minutes per pound depending on whether you want rare, medium, or well-done meat.

Ingredients

  • 8 medium white potatoes

  • 2 large sweet potatoes

  • 2 medium white onions

  • 1/4 cup olive oil, divided

  • 2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, divided

  • 2 1/4 pounds lamb shoulder

  • 6 cloves garlic, cut into slivers

  • 6 sprigs fresh rosemary

  • Mint sauce, garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for traditional lamb shoulder roast gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. Heat the oven to 350 F. Cut the white and sweet potatoes into 1-inch-thick slices.

    White and sweet potatoes cut into 1-inch-thick slices on a cutting board

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. Cut the onions in half and then place all of the vegetables in a roasting pan in one even layer.

    White potatoes, sweet potatoes, and onions in a roasting pan

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. Drizzle the vegetables with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.

    Onions, potatoes, and sweet potatoes drizzled with oil in a roasting pan

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and toss to combine.

    Onions and potatoes in the roasted pan sprinkled with salt

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  6. Place the lamb on top of the vegetables and rub the lamb with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.

    Lamb shoulder on top of onions and potatoes in a roasting pan

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  7. Sprinkle the lamb with the rest of the sea salt.

    Lamb shoulder sprinkled with salt in a roasting pan with onions and potatoes

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  8. Use the point of a sharp knife to make small incisions all over the lamb.

    Lamb shoulder with a knife cutting small incisions

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  9. Place the garlic slivers and rosemary springs in the slits.

    Garlic slivers and rosemary springs placed in the slits in the lamb shoulder

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  10. Place the roasting pan on the middle oven rack and roast for 1 1/2 hours, or until a meat thermometer placed in the thickest part of the lamb reads 140 F for rare, 160 F for medium, and 170 F for well done.

    Roasted lamb shoulder and vegetables in a roasting pan

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  11. Remove from the oven and transfer the lamb to a plate to rest.

    Roasted lamb shoulder on a large white platter

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  12. Cover the lamb with aluminum foil and let it sit for 10 minutes.

    Cooked lamb shoulder wrapped in aluminum foil, resting on a large white platter

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  13. Serve the lamb with the roasted potatoes and onions, and mint sauce on the side.

    Traditional lamb shoulder roast served with potatoes and onions on a white plate

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Tips

Lamb should be cooked until a meat thermometer placed in its thickest part reads 140 F for rare, 160 F for medium, and 170 F for well done.

How to Store and Freeze Lamb

As a general rule, lamb can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three days in the freezer, well-wrapped, for up to 3 months.