Equipment
Ingredients
Main
- 2000 g bone-in lamb shoulder, room temperature
- 15 g coriander seeds, whole
- 1000 g floury potatoes, peeled and halved
- 30 ml olive oil
- 15 g coarse sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat oven to 160C (320F).
Toast the whole coriander seeds in a dry small skillet over medium heat until highly fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Transfer the toasted coriander seeds to a mortar and pestle and crush them coarsely.
Rub the lamb shoulder generously with the olive oil, crushed coriander seeds, and coarse sea salt, pressing the spices into the meat.
Place the halved potatoes in the base of a large roasting pan.
Set the seasoned lamb shoulder directly on top of the potatoes.
Roast uncovered for 4 hours, or until the lamb reaches an internal temperature of at least 90C (195F) and the meat pulls away effortlessly from the bone.
Remove from the oven, transfer the lamb to a cutting board, and let it rest for 20 minutes before pulling or carving.
Serve the rested, pull-apart lamb alongside the crispy, fat-soaked potatoes.
Chef's Notes
- Toasting whole coriander seeds wakes up their citrusy, floral essential oils which pair perfectly with the rich, slightly gamey flavor of lamb without overpowering it.
- Choosing floury potatoes ensures they absorb the rendered lamb fat perfectly while maintaining a fluffy interior and achieving a crispy exterior.
- Always allow the lamb to come to room temperature for an hour before roasting. This promotes even cooking and much better fat rendering.
- Lamb shoulder requires cooking well past the standard safe temperature (74C) to break down its tough collagen. Targeting 90C to 95C is the secret to pull-apart tenderness.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store meat and potatoes in separate airtight containers.
Freezer: 2 months — Potatoes may become mealy when frozen; freezing the lamb alone is recommended.
Reheating: Reheat in a 160C oven covered with foil until warmed through, adding a splash of water to prevent the meat from drying out.
