Slow Cooked Lamb Shawarma
While it takes time to roast, it’s a very straightforward recipe – and will feed a crowd. Sensational for finishing on the BBQ!
Ingredients
- 2 kg lamb shoulder (bone in) or 1.7 kg / 3.5 lb butterflied lamb leg
Shawarma Paste
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground cardamon
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (1/2 tsp = not spicy)
- 2 tsp smoked paprika (ordinary also ok)
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
Cooking
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (standard) or 160°C (fan forced)
- Place Paste ingredients in a bowl, starting with 2 tbsp lemon juice, and mix. It should be a wet paste that can be slathered onto the lamb
- Place lamb in a large roasting pan. Slather all over with paste.
- Position the lamb with the fat side up. Pour water around, cover tightly with foil.
- Roast 3 hours, removing from the oven 2 - 3 times to spoon over pan juices (ie baste).
- Remove foil. Meat should be tender - check with 2 forks.
- Baste again, then return to oven for 30 minutes to get a nice crust.
- Remove lamb from roasting pan - reserve juices.
Finish on BBQ, Optional
- Cool the lamb for 20 minutes or so (so it firms up slightly, easier to handle).
- If you used shoulder, pull the meat off the bone in 4 or 5 chunks
- Preheat BBQ to medium and oil if required.
- Coat lamb in pan juices. Sear on both sides until deep golden and a crust forms. Dab with pan juices on both sides.
Serving
- Slice or shred lamb, as desired. Drizzle with plenty of juices.
- Make Lamb Shawarma wraps by serving with shredded lettuce, tomatoes and minted yoghurt or pile over Lemon Herbed Couscous and garnish with pomegranate seeds and parsley or chopped coriander