Are you tired of serving spiraled ham at all your holiday dinners and parties? Roasted lamb is a spring centerpiece that’s beautiful and surprisingly simple to prepare at home. We promise that burning a Lamb Shoulder is just as simple (if not even easier) than Roasting a Chicken. It only takes rubbing the roast with fresh herbs, olive oil, and garlic and putting it in the oven to cook for about an hour to make a centerpiece worthy of your Easter Dinner. Our recipe includes roasted potatoes, so you don’t have to prepare one Easter side.

The rub. We use a simple but fresh garlic-rosemary-thyme combination, but if you want to mix it up, you could also try chopped oregano, mint, or basil. You can even add some spices, like chili flakes or coriander powder. You can season your food however you like, but you are recommended to be generous.

How do you roast a lamb?

It’s easy to make this roast. Rub it with the herb mixture, put it in the oven, rest for a few hours, then serve—our 2-lb. The boneless shoulder of lamb was cooked after an hour in a 450o over. However, a meat thermometer is the best tool to determine when your lamb has been adequately cooked. If your lamb doesn’t reach 145o internally, you should continue roasting it until it does. Keep burning it for another hour if the temperature isn’t there.

Tieing with twine.

It’s not. You want to ensure that the lamb shoulder is uniform in size and shape (as best as possible) to ensure it cooks evenly. Begin by holding the shoulder of the lamb with the shorter end nearest to you. Wrap the twine once around the entire piece lengthwise. Then twist the twine 90° so it runs perpendicularly to the length you just wrapped. Continue wrapping yarn around the lamb. Work your way down its length, keeping the twine perpendicular to the first length you wrapped. Once you have reached the bottom, cut off the excess twine and tie it up.

You can use the image below to help you visualize. But don’t worry if your twine looks different. You’ll be fine keeping your roast in a neat, even bundle.

Must I let the lamb rest for a while before serving it?

Yes. Resting time is a massive factor in the juiciness and taste of your lamb. Why? All the juices in the meat begin to flow when the lamb cooks. It would help to let the juices settle after removing the lamb from the oven. If you cut the roast too soon, liquids spill onto your cutting surface, leaving a dry piece of meat. (emoji)

Ingredients

  • 1
  • (2-lb.) Boneless lamb shoulder roast tied with butchers twine
  • 4
  • cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp.
  • Freshly chopped rosemary
  • 2 tsp.
  • Fresh thyme leaves
  • 3 tbsp.
  • Extra-virgin Olive Oil, Divided
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black Pepper
  • 2 lb.
  • Baby potatoes, cut in half if large

Directions

      1. Step 1Preheat the oven to 450oF and place an oven rack on the lower third. Mix garlic, rosemary, and thyme in a small bowl with one tablespoon of oil. Season generously with both salt and pepper. Rub all over the lamb.
      2. Step 2In a baking dish measuring 9″ x 13″, toss the potatoes with the remaining oil and season them with additional salt and pepper. Place the lamb on top and roast for about an hour until the internal temperature reaches around 145o.
    2. Step 3 Let roast rest for 15 minutes. Remove twine and slice.