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Grilled aromatic shoulder of lamb

Name: Grilled aromatic shoulder of lamb
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 2 h 10 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 1 tbsp coriander seeds; ½ tbsp cumin seeds; ½ tbsp fennel seeds; 5 fat garlic cloves, crushed; Thumb-size piece of fresh ginger, finely grated; Finely grated zest of 2 oranges; 2 tbsp dried thyme; 2 tsp flaked sea salt; 1½ tsp ground black pepper; 1 medium lamb shoulder (about 1.8-2.2kg), bone-in, any excess fat removed, scored with a sharp knife at 1cm intervals

Published: 31 Jul 13
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Valentine Warner’s grilled aromatic shoulder of lamb recipe is great on the barbecue. Enjoy with a fruity glass of red wine.

Easy
August 2013

Test kitchen approved

Serves 6
Takes 20 min to make, and 2 hours 10 min to cook

Valentine Warner’s grilled aromatic shoulder of lamb recipe is great on the barbecue. Enjoy with a fruity glass of red wine.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 313kcals
Fat: 16.6g (7g saturated)
Protein: 41g
Carbohydrates: 1.1g (0.1g sugar)
Fibre: 0.1g
Salt: 1.2g

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Ingredients

1 tbsp coriander seeds
½ tbsp cumin seeds
½ tbsp fennel seeds
5 fat garlic cloves, crushed
Thumb-size piece of fresh ginger, finely grated
Finely grated zest of 2 oranges
2 tbsp dried thyme
2 tsp flaked sea salt
1½ tsp ground black pepper
1 medium lamb shoulder (about 1.8-2.2kg), bone-in, any excess fat removed, scored with a sharp knife at 1cm intervals

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Method

For this dish, you’ll need enough lit charcoal to keep burning steadily for at least 2 hours.
Toast the seeds in a small, dry frying pan, swirling them often over a medium heat (on the barbecue grill or the hob), until fragrant. Tip into a pestle and mortar or spice grinder and work to a medium-fine powder. Add the garlic, grated ginger and any ginger juice, the orange zest, thyme and seasoning, then work to a paste.
Smear the paste generously over the lamb, making sure any of the rub that falls on the work surface makes its way back onto the lamb.

Grill the lamb on the hot barbecue for 3 minutes on each side until well coloured but not burnt. If flames flare up from the dripping fat, gently move the lamb away from them. Transfer the lamb to a baking tray lined with a double layer of foil. Pour in a glass of water and loosely scrunch another double layer of foil over the top of the lamb. Put the tray on the barbecue grill, then shut the lid, making sure the air vents are two-thirds closed on the top and bottom (to keep the temperature between 180-200°C). Cook the lamb for 2 hours. Check it every half hour – if it appears to be burning or the juices in the tray seem to be boiling away, add more water.
About 15 minutes before the lamb is ready, remove the covering foil and shut the lid again. When cooked, rest the lamb on a platter, covered with foil, for 15 minutes or so. Serve the lamb with the juices poured over.