Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Pomegranate and Herbs

A showstopping centerpiece with tender, spiced lamb, bright pomegranate molasses, and fragrant herbs—this is the kind of dish that brings everyone to the table and keeps them talking long after.

Ingredients:

• 2kg lamb shoulder, bone-in
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon sumac
• 8 garlic cloves, crushed
• Zest and juice of 2 lemons
• Large handful fresh mint and parsley, chopped
• Sea salt and black pepper
• Seeds from 1 pomegranate, for serving
• Toasted pine nuts, for serving

Method:

1. Mix olive oil, pomegranate molasses, cumin, coriander, sumac, garlic, lemon zest, and most of the herbs into a paste. Rub generously all over the lamb, inside crevices too.
2. Let rest for at least 4 hours (or overnight) at room temperature.
3. Preheat oven to 180°C. Transfer lamb to a roasting pan, scatter any leftover marinade around it, and pour in the lemon juice with 250ml water.
4. Roast for 3–3.5 hours, basting occasionally, until meat is fall-apart tender and deeply caramelized.
5. Rest 15 minutes, then shred directly off the bone. Stir pan juices into the meat.
6. Serve scattered with pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, and fresh herbs.

Chef's tip: Don't skip the overnight marinade—those spices need time to penetrate the meat, and the long rest makes it impossibly tender.