Braised Lamb Shoulder Pomegranate (Printable)

Slow-braised lamb shoulder melded with warm spices and tangy pomegranate molasses.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meat & Protein

01 - 1 lamb shoulder (4.5-5.5 lbs), bone-in

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 2 large onions, sliced
03 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
05 - 2 celery stalks, chopped

→ Spices & Seasonings

06 - 2 tsp ground cumin
07 - 1 tsp ground coriander
08 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
09 - 0.5 tsp ground allspice
10 - 0.5 tsp ground black pepper
11 - 1.5 tsp salt

→ Liquids

12 - 2 cups beef or lamb stock
13 - 0.5 cup pomegranate molasses
14 - 0.5 cup dry red wine
15 - 2 tbsp olive oil

→ Garnish

16 - 0.5 cup pomegranate seeds
17 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
18 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 325°F.
02 - Pat the lamb shoulder dry and rub evenly with salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and allspice.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the lamb shoulder on all sides until deeply browned, approximately 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
04 - Add onions, carrots, and celery to the same pot. Cook for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Pour in red wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Allow to simmer for 2 minutes.
06 - Return the lamb to the pot. Add stock and half the pomegranate molasses. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover tightly, and transfer to the oven.
07 - Braise for 2.5 to 3 hours, basting occasionally, until the meat offers no resistance when pierced with a fork.
08 - Remove the lid for the final 20 minutes of cooking. Drizzle the remaining pomegranate molasses over the lamb and continue cooking uncovered.
09 - Let the lamb rest for 10 minutes before carving. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, mint, and parsley just before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The meat becomes impossibly tender while developing a crust that people will fight over
  • Pomegranate molasses adds this bright acidic note that cuts through all the rich lamb flavor
  • Most of the cooking happens unattended in the oven, leaving you free for guests
  • The leftovers somehow taste even better the next day, if there are any
02 -
  • Patting the meat completely dry before searing is the difference between a golden brown crust and a steamed gray surface
  • The braising liquid should never reach a rolling boil, a gentle simmer keeps the meat tender
  • Letting the lamb rest before carving prevents all those juices from running onto your cutting board instead of staying in the meat
03 -
  • If your pomegranate molasses is too thick to drizzle, warm it gently in a bowl of hot water first
  • The vegetables in the braising liquid are technically edible but mostly there for flavor, so serve them only if they still look appealing

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