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shredded lamb shoulder with pomegranate on a silver plate.
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4.67 from 9 votes

Lamb with Pomegranate

Fall off the bone pulled lamb shoulder, slow-cooked in the oven, served with a refreshing mint and pomegranate yogurt.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time4 hours 54 minutes
Total Time5 hours 14 minutes
Course: Meat Recipes
Cuisine: Middle East
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 947kcal
Author: Adina

Ingredients

Lamb:

  • 1 shoulder of lamb about 3.5 – 4.5 lbs/ 1,6 – 2 kg, Note 1
  • 5 garlic cloves grated
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon Note 2
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamon
  • 2 teaspoons sweet paprika powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 red onions sliced
  • 2 cups water 500 ml

Mint and Pomegranate Yogurt:

  • 1 cup Greek yogurt 250 g
  • 1 tablespoon clear honey
  • 2 garlic cloves grated (optional)
  • 1 small pomegranate
  • 1 small bunch mint

Instructions

Lamb:

  • Rub: Combine grated garlic cloves, cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, paprika powder, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil in a small bowl. Rub the lamb with it and marinate for at least a couple of hours (up to 24 hours). Remove from the fridge one hour before roasting.
    5 garlic cloves + 2 teaspoons cinnamon + 2 teaspoons ground cumin + 1 teaspoon ground cardamon + 2 teaspoons sweet paprika powder + 1 ½ teaspoons salt + ½ teaspoon black pepper + 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice + 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Slow-roast lamb: Preheat the oven to 320°F/ 160°C. Place the lamb 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.
    1 shoulder of lamb + 2 red onions + 2 cups water/ 500 ml
  • Increase heat: Turn the heat up to 430°F/ 220°C. Baste the meat with the juices from the pan, cover again, and continue roasting for another 15 minutes. The meat should be really tender.
  • Brown lamb: Remove the foil, baste well again, and roast for another 30 minutes to get a nice crust. Remove the meat from the pan and reserve the juices for drizzling over the shredded meat.
  • Rest lamb shoulder: While the meat rests shortly make the mint and pomegranate yogurt.

Pomegranate and Mint Yogurt:

  • Make pomegranate sauce: Mix yogurt, honey, grated garlic, ⅔ of the pomegranate seeds, and ⅔ of the finely chopped mint. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper.
    1 cup Greek yogurt/ 250 g + 1 tablespoon clear honey + 2 garlic cloves + ⅔ of 1 small bunch mint + ⅔ seeds of 1 small pomegranate

Serve:

  • Shred the lamb with two forks. Serve it drizzled with the roasting juices and sprinkled with the remaining pomegranate seeds and mint. Serve with mint and pomegranate yogurt.

Notes

  1. Size of the lamb shoulder: If it is between 3.5 – 4.5 lbs/ 1.6 - 2 kg, everything should be fine. The lamb is slow-cooked, and it should fall off the bone at the end of the cooking process, so you cannot really overcook it. 
  2. Spices: The spice mixture is Middle East inspired; it was wonderful, but you can choose other spices if you wish. Try our Homemade Lamb Seasoning. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 of the dish | Calories: 947kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 71g | Fat: 64g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 34g | Cholesterol: 261mg | Sodium: 743mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 13g