Pulled Lamb with Pomegranate

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Fall off the bone, pulled lamb shoulder, slow cooked in the oven, served with a refreshing mint and pomegranate yogurt.

What can I say about this pulled lamb shoulder with pomegranate and mint? I liked it so much, I could not stop eating it. Although I was quite full already before we even sat down to eat.

I had to tear the shoulder of lamb apart and take pictures before we had our meal and while doing that I kept eating those tender meat pieces like there was no tomorrow. So soft, so delicate, so packed with flavor… I could cook this again tomorrow!

I was looking for a Mexican recipe for carnitas a few weeks ago and while drooling over those pictures of wraps stuffed with shredded pork, I actually remembered that I meant to cook some lamb soon. And I thought, if slow-cooked pork is so good, pulled lamb must be even better.

I don’t make lamb too often, it is expensive and relatively difficult to come by around here. You always have to order it in advance at the butcher’s and if you want to buy it frozen you have to drive at least 20 km to get it. But now and then I am able to buy it fresh at the Turkish/Russian supermarket (again 20 km driving for it and fingers crossed they have it on that day I happen to need it).

So lamb is always a special treat for us and maybe it is better this way, we can appreciate it more if we don’t have it that often.

Ingredients

Lamb shoulder:

• My cut weighed almost 1,9 kg/ 4 lbs. However, it is not so important how much your shoulder weighs.
• If it is between 1,6 – 2 kg/ 3.5 – 4.4 lbs, everything should be fine, the meat is slow-cooked and it should fall off the bone at the end of the cooking process, so you cannot really overcook it.

Spices:

• The spice mixture for the pulled lamb with pomegranate dip is Middle East inspired, it was wonderful, but you can choose other spices if you wish.
• The spices here are just a suggestion and they fit the mint pomegranate yogurt which is served as a side very well, not to mention the herbed bulgur wheat salad.

Pomegranate mint yogurt:

• I love this fresh-tasting pomegranate and mint dip.
• It complements the meat perfectly, lamb can be pretty heavy but served with a refreshing yogurt mint dip and pomegranate seeds, it’s even better.

An impressive looking and tasting lamb recipe with the minimum amount of effort involved.

How to make lamb with pomegranate?

Marinade the lamb shoulder overnight:

• Mix together the grated garlic cloves, cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, paprika powder, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil in a small bowl.
• Rub the meat with the mixture.
• Marinate for at least a couple of hours (up to 24 hours).
• Remove from the fridge one hour before cooking.

Roast:

• Step 1: Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius/ 320 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the shoulder with the fat side up in a roasting pan and arrange the sliced onions around it. Pour the water around it. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and roast for 4 hours.
• Step 2: Turn the heat up to 220 degrees Celsius/ 430 degrees Fahrenheit. Baste the meat with the juices from the pan, cover again and continue roasting for another 15 minutes. The meat should be really tender.
• Step 3: Remove the foil, baste well again. Roast for another 30 minutes to get a nice crust. Remove from the pan and reserve the juices for serving with the shredded meat.

Pomegranate and mint yogurt:

• While the meat rests shortly make the mint and pomegranate yogurt.
• Combine yogurt, honey, grated garlic, 2/3 of the pomegranate seeds, and 2/3 of the finely chopped mint in a small bowl.
• Adjust the taste with salt and pepper.

How to serve pulled lamb?

Pour some of the pan juices over the shredded meat and serve. I served this pulled lamb with bulgur wheat salad, whole roasted cauliflower and pomegranate and mint dip.

However, you can consider the following side dishes as well:

• Zucchini with Pesto
• Garlic Smashed Potatoes
• French Style Green Beans
• Braised Fennel with Apples
• Couscous Salad
• Buckwheat Salad

More roast recipes:

Basic Roast Leg of Lamb with White Wine and Potatoes

Pork in Tomato Sauce

Roasted Turkey Drumsticks

Turkey Thigh Roast with Potatoes and Pumpkin

Easy Roast Beef with Balsamic Vinegar Sauce