Whole Halal-certified WA lamb shoulder slow-roasted with sumac, cumin, garlic and Aleppo pepper. Rendered fat, crackling edges, spoon-tender meat. Serve with warm flatbreads, herbed labneh and a heap of pomegranate for a table centrepiece that feeds twelve.
Cook it right
- 01
Score & marinate
Score the fat side of the lamb in a diamond pattern, taking care not to cut into the meat. Poke garlic slivers into each score. In a bowl, mix sumac, cumin, Aleppo, cinnamon, salt, olive oil and lemon zest & juice into a paste. Rub over the entire shoulder. Rest at room temp for 30 minutes (or refrigerate up to 24 hours).
- 02
Set the bed
Preheat oven to 160 °C fan. Scatter sliced onions on the base of a heavy roasting tin. Sit the lamb on top and pour stock around (not over) the meat.
- 03
Cover & braise
Cover tightly with foil, sealing all sides. Roast for 5 hours undisturbed.
- 04
Crackle
Remove foil, spoon over the pan juices, and roast uncovered for another 60 – 90 minutes at 190 °C fan until the top is deeply caramelised and the meat pulls easily from the bone.
- 05
Rest & serve
Rest 20 minutes, then shred with two forks. Spoon the pan juices back over. Serve with warm flatbreads, cool labneh, pomegranate seeds and torn mint.
- The pan juices are the treasure — strain them, skim excess fat, and drizzle over each serving.
- Leftovers make phenomenal ragu, wraps or shepherd's pie for two days after.
Order the exact cut this recipe was built around — Halal-certified, cold-chain delivered.
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