Mary Berry Slow Roast Lamb Shoulder With Potatoes​

Mary Berry Slow Roast Lamb Shoulder With Potatoes is a British Sunday roast featuring tender meat, red wine, and Maris Piper potatoes. Rosemary and garlic infuse the lamb while it cooks low and slow for a tender finish.

I used to rush my roasts by cranking up the heat, but I learned that the shoulder needs a steady temperature to break down properly. If you skip the tight foil seal, the moisture escapes and the meat stays tough instead of pulling apart. That’s the difference between a chewy dinner and one you can eat with a fork.

I’ve tried a few versions of lamb roast and this one from Mary Berry is the one I keep going back to because it doesn’t require constant basting. The fat from the shoulder melts into the vegetables and wine to create a sauce that beats any store-bought gravy. This is the meal I make when I want the house to smell like home without standing over the hob all afternoon.

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Mary Berry Slow Roast Lamb Shoulder With Potatoes Ingredients

For the Slow Roast Lamb

• 2kg (4lb 6oz) bone-in lamb shoulder
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large onions, roughly chopped
• 2 large carrots, roughly chopped
• 8-10 garlic cloves, peeled
• 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 250ml (9fl oz) red wine
• 500ml (18fl oz) lamb or chicken stock
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Roast Potatoes

• 1.5kg (3lb 5oz) Maris Piper or King Edward potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 60ml (2fl oz) vegetable oil or goose fat
• 1 tsp salt

How To Make Mary Berry Slow Roast Lamb Shoulder With Potatoes

1. Preheat and prepare the lamb: Heat the oven to 160°C (325°F/Gas Mark 3). Pat the lamb shoulder dry with kitchen roll and season it with plenty of salt and pepper on both sides. Use a small, sharp knife to poke deep slits all over the surface of the meat. Push a whole garlic clove and a small sprig of rosemary into each hole until they are tucked inside the flesh.
2. Sear the shoulder: Place a large, flameproof roasting tin on the hob over a medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Brown the lamb shoulder on all sides until it develops a dark, even crust. Remove the meat from the tin and set it aside on a plate for a moment.
3. Sauté the vegetables: Add the chopped onions and carrots to the same roasting tin without cleaning it first. Cook for 5-7 minutes whilst stirring occasionally until the edges of the onions start to turn soft and brown. Pour in the red wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape all the browned bits off the bottom of the tin. Let the liquid bubble until the volume has reduced by about half.
4. Assemble and roast: Place the seared lamb shoulder back into the tin so it sits on top of the bed of vegetables. Pour the stock into the tin around the sides of the meat. Cover the entire roasting tin very tightly with two layers of aluminium foil to keep the steam inside.
5. Slow roast the lamb: Put the covered tin in the middle of the oven and cook for 4 to 5 hours. Check the lamb by pushing a fork into the thickest part to see if the meat pulls away from the bone with no resistance. Take the foil off for the final 30 minutes of the cooking time to let the skin brown and become crisp.
6. Cook the roast potatoes: Put the potato chunks into a large pot of cold salted water while the lamb is finishing. Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes for 10 minutes until the outsides are soft but the centres are still firm. Drain them in a colander and shake them vigorously until the edges look fluffy and white. Heat the vegetable oil or goose fat in a separate roasting tray at 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6) and add the potatoes. Roast for 40-50 minutes, turning them halfway through, until they are golden and make a crunching sound when moved.
7. Rest the lamb and make gravy: Lift the cooked lamb out of the roasting tin and put it on a warm carving board. Cover it loosely with foil and leave it to rest for at least 20 minutes before you try to serve it. Pour the liquid and vegetables from the tin through a sieve into a saucepan. Skim the fat off the top with a spoon and simmer the liquid on the hob until it thickens into a glossy sauce.
8. Serve: Pull the tender lamb meat away from the bone in large chunks and serve it with the crispy potatoes and plenty of the hot gravy.

Recipe Tips

• Choose floury potatoes. Use Maris Piper or King Edward varieties because they have the right starch content to create a fluffy interior and a thick, crunchy crust.
• Seal the foil tight. Make sure there are no gaps around the edges of your roasting tin when you cover it. If steam escapes during the four-hour roast, the lamb will dry out and the vegetables might burn.
• Rough up the edges. Shaking the parboiled potatoes in the colander is the most important part of the process. Those fuzzy, mashed edges are what catch the hot fat and turn into a crispy shell in the oven.
• Do not skip the rest. Resting the lamb for 20 minutes allows the fibres to relax and the juices to redistribute through the meat. If you carve it immediately, the liquid will run out and leave the lamb dry on the plate.
• Use goose fat for flavour. Whilst vegetable oil works well, goose fat has a higher smoke point and gives the roast potatoes a traditional flavour and a deeper golden colour.
• Prep the night before. You can peel and chop the potatoes ahead of time and keep them in a bowl of cold water in the fridge. This stops them from turning brown and saves you time on the day.

What To Serve With Slow Roast Lamb Shoulder With Potatoes

This rich lamb dish pairs best with bright green vegetables to balance the weight of the meat. Steamed broccoli or buttered savoy cabbage are excellent choices that soak up the extra gravy on the plate.

For a bit of sweetness, honey-glazed carrots or roasted parsnips work well alongside the potatoes. A dollop of sharp mint sauce is a classic addition that cuts through the fat of the lamb shoulder.

How To Store Slow Roast Lamb Shoulder With Potatoes

Fridge

Keep the leftover lamb and potatoes in separate airtight containers once they have cooled down. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days. Store the gravy in a jar or small container so you can pour it over the meat when you are ready to eat again.

Reheat

The best way to reheat the lamb is in the oven at 160°C (325°F/Gas Mark 3) with a splash of water or leftover gravy to keep it moist. Cover it with foil and heat for 15-20 minutes until piping hot throughout. You can use a microwave for a quicker option, but the potatoes will lose their crunch and become soft.

Freeze

You can freeze the cooked lamb meat in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. Defrost it completely in the fridge overnight before reheating. Roast potatoes do not freeze well as the texture becomes grainy, so it is best to eat those fresh.

Mary Berry Slow Roast Lamb Shoulder With Potatoes Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1 of 6):

• Calories: 845
• Protein: 48g
• Fat: 58g
• Carbohydrates: 34g
• Sugar: 4g
• Sodium: 780mg

Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.

FAQs

Why is my Mary Berry Slow Roast Lamb Shoulder With Potatoes still tough after 4 hours?

If the meat is still firm, the oven temperature may be too low or the foil seal was not tight enough. Put it back in the oven for another 30-60 minutes until the fibres break down and the meat pulls apart with a fork.

Can I use a lamb leg instead of a shoulder?

You can use a leg, but it is a leaner cut and will not be as tender as the shoulder when slow-roasted for this length of time. If you use a leg, reduce the cooking time to about 25 minutes per 500g plus 25 minutes at 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4).

Do I need to peel the garlic cloves?

No, you can leave the skins on the garlic cloves if you are just tossing them into the bottom of the tin, but for this recipe, you must peel them. Squeezing a whole, peeled clove into the meat incisions allows the flavour to penetrate the lamb directly.

Can I make this in a slow cooker instead of the oven?

Yes, you can sear the meat and soften the vegetables on the hob before moving everything to a slow cooker. Cook on the low setting for 8-10 hours, but you will still need to roast the potatoes in a conventional oven for the best crunch.

Try More Recipes:

• Mary Berry Slow Roasted Lamb​ Recipe
• Mary Berry Miso Salmon​ Recipe
• Mary Berry Salmon With Cream Cheese And Peppers​ Recipe