Name: Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder Recipe with a Red Currant Gravy
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 280 min
Ingredients: 2.25 kg Whole Lamb Shoulder (Bone-In) (5lb); 3 Sprigs Rosemary; 5 g Fresh Mint ((Including stalks)); 4 Anchovy Fillets ((in oil)); 1 Tbsp Oil ((oil from the anchovies is perfect)); 2 Tsp Coarse Sea Salt; ½ Tsp Black Pepper; 2 Medium Onions (300g); 250 ml Water (1 Cup); 250 ml Ruby Port (1 Cup); 2 Tbsp Red Currant Jelly (35g); Salt ((as required)); 2 Tbsp Cornflour ((cornstarch in the US)); 2 Tbsp Water

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Slowly roasted lamb shoulder seasoned with anchovies, thyme and mint served with a port and red currant gravy is the perfect Sunday lunch.

Naturally, this is not a quick dinner, but it is very easy, and you will only spend around 30 minutes "actively" cooking.

Slow roasted lamb shoulder with roast potatoes, homemade mint sauce, gravy served on a board.

Roast Lamb with Red Currant Gravy

I'm of an age where every Sunday revolved around Sunday dinner, a hunk of roasted meat, loads of veggies and gravy.

As I have gotten older, they have become less of a feature of my weekly meals, but I still love a Sunday lunch, all be it on a much smaller scale!

Many of them feature here, I've got recipes for my perfect roast chicken, roast pork belly and even whole roasted duck.

Roasted lamb has always felt special to me, and the shoulder has always been my favourite; I like to slow cook it until it practically falls apart.

In fact, you can tell when this recipe is cooked; if you twist and pull the shoulder bone, it will slide straight on out.

My take on this recipe adds a rub made from anchovies, rosemary and mint. This not only flavours the outer layer of the lamb, but it also flavours the juices which form the basis of the gravy.

And what a gravy it is! The roasting juices of the lamb are added to some reduced port and red currant jelly... and I could honestly drink the stuff like coffee!

Close-up Sunday lunch of slow roasted lamb shoulder with roast potatoes, veggies, mint sauce and gravy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I do with the leftover lamb?

If, like me, you are cooking for two, leftovers after a Sunday lunch can be a challenge.

However, with leftover lamb, there are plenty of options. Curry is always a good option, and this leftover lamb biryani would be perfect. You could go with pasta, and this lamb pasta sauce is fantastic.

One more, you say? Ok, how about some leftover lamb tacos?

Can I use lamb leg?

Yes, this recipe will work fine with a leg of lamb. I personally prefer roasting a leg of lamb until it is pink.

Do I have to use Port?

No, red wine works well too. If you are avoiding alcohol, I would use a non alcoholic red wine.

Overhead Sunday lunch of slow roasted lamb shoulder with roast potatoes, veggies, mint sauce and gravy.

Serving Suggestions

This roasted lamb shoulder is served as part of a Sunday lunch. As a result, many of the sides kinda pick themselves, and there are no surprises here.

To begin with, we simply must include mint sauce, because well them's the rules!

And of course, a Sunday lunch simply must have roast potatoes, after that, you can play pretty much fast and loose.

I don't enjoy an overloaded plate full of vegetables for Sunday lunch. So I tend to keep my selections down to 3 or 4 vegetable sides.

In the pictures on this page, I have included my glazed chentenay carrots, buttered cabbage and some green beans, which I threw in with the carrots for 10 minutes.

There are some people who will tell you that Yorkshire puddings are only for roast beef. Ignore those people, Yorkies are grand with all roast dinners!

Roasted parsnips are another great option, and if you are really greedy, then add some mashed potato or swede and carrot mash into the mix!

Overhead slow roasted lamb shoulder with roast potatoes, veggies, mint sauce and gravy served on a board.

Equipment Used

I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

Oven.
Hob/stovetop.
Baking tray with a trivet.
20cm or 8" saucepan.
Chopping board.
Kitchen knife.
Pestle and mortar.
Stirring and serving spoons.
Tin foil.
Fine mesh sieve.
Mixing bowl.
A combination of weighing scales, measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.

Slow roasted lamb shoulder with roast potatoes, cabbage, carrots, and green beans.

Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder Recipe with a Red Currant Gravy

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I think lamb is the perfect meat for Sunday lunch and a slow roasted shoulder is my favourite cut, I make an anchovy, thyme and mint rub. The juices from the roast form the basis of a fantastic pot and red currant gravy!

Main Course

British

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 4

Resting Time 30

Total Time 4 40

Servings Servings

Calories 437kcal

Author Brian Jones

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Ingredients

For the Lamb:

2.25 kg Whole Lamb Shoulder (Bone-In) 5lb
3 Sprigs Rosemary
5 g Fresh Mint (Including stalks)
4 Anchovy Fillets (in oil)
1 tablespoon Oil (oil from the anchovies is perfect)
2 teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt
½ teaspoon Black Pepper
2 Medium Onions 300g
250 ml Water 1 Cup

For the Gravy:

250 ml Ruby Port 1 Cup
2 tablespoon Red Currant Jelly 35g
Salt (as required)
2 tablespoon Cornflour (cornstarch in the US)
2 tablespoon Water

Instructions

Begin by preheating your oven as high as you can get it!

Score the top surface of the lamb to a depth of around 5mm (¼") in a cross-hatch pattern 25mm (1") apart.
Strip the leaves from the sprigs of rosemary and add them to a pestle and mortar (or mini blender).
Roughly break up the mint, including the stalks and add them to the rosemary
Add the anchovies, oil, salt and pepper to the pestle and mortar and pound to create a paste.
Rub the paste into the lamb, making sure that you push it into the cuts you made earlier.
Cut the onions into 1½cm (just over ½") rings and add them to the bottom of a large roasting tin. Don't bother peeling them!
Place the lamb on a trivet in the roasting tin, and place it in the oven (as hot as it will go) and cook for 20 minutes.
Remove the lamb from the oven, and turn the temperature down to 150°C or 300°F.
Pour the water into the base of the baking tray, making sure that it does not come up higher than the base of the lamb. Tightly cover with tin foil and return it to the oven for 3½-4 hours.

I like to remove the foil for the last 20-30 minutes, baste the lamb with the juices and turn the heat up to 180°C or 350°.

This is also an ideal time to add any roasted vegetables to the oven.

10-12 minutes before the lamb is ready to come out of the oven, place a 20cm or 8" saucepan over a high heat, add the port for the gravy and reduce by two-thirds.
Remove the lamb cover it with foil and rest for 30 minutes.

After the lamb has rested, you should be able to just twist and pull out the shoulder bone, which will make it much easier to carve.

Strain the juices from the lamb into the saucepan with the port, and add the red currant jelly and boil hard, reducing by another third to a half, which will take around 15 minutes. Taste for salt and add as required.
If you want a thicker gravy, mix the cornflour with water and whisk it into the gravy just before serving.

I like to add half a teaspoon of gravy browning to my gravy; it is controversial with some, so make your own choice. It has no impact on the flavour, but it adds a beautiful, rich colour.