Slow-cooked lamb shoulder is a timeless centrepiece - comforting, generous, and richly flavoured. This version is bathed in white wine, fragrant fennel seed, and slathered in sticky garlic honey. It’s surprisingly low-effort for something so impressive.
After hours in the oven, the lamb practically falls apart. The flavours are deep, mellow, and just a little bit sweet from that final drizzle of warm honey. It’s one of those special meals that makes the whole house smell incredible.
I’ve included options for different quantities of lamb shoulders, as I’ve made this recipe many times with one, two, or three. It’s not always as simple as doubling or tripling - a few small tweaks make a big difference. I most often cook two or three for entertaining, but the single-shoulder version is super handy when you're cooking for just a few.
This dish is best served hot. Because lamb shoulder is a fattier cut, it tends to firm up as it cools - for the most luscious texture, serve it straight from the oven with that glossy garlic honey poured over the top.
The leftovers are just as good: reheat gently, or shred the meat into flatbreads, toss it through pasta, or add to hearty salads.
Whether you’re cooking for a weekend crowd or making a quiet Sunday feel a bit special, this one-pan wonder delivers. And the leftovers? Divine.
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Ingredients
Gluten-free, Egg-free, Nut-free, Dairy-free 
15 minutes preparation time + 6 hours cook time 
4-6, 6-10, or 10-14 SERVES 4-6 (1 SHOULDER)
Lamb Shoulder
- 1 x 1.2 kg bone-in lamb shoulder
- 1 tablespoon whole fennel seeds
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 large brown onion, peeled and thickly sliced
- 500ml dry white wine (or 470ml water + 30ml white or red wine vinegar)
Garlic Honey
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 small clove fresh garlic, crushed or finely grated
- Freshly cracked black pepper
SERVES 6-10 (2 SHOULDERS)
Lamb Shoulder
- 2 x 1.2 kg bone-in lamb shoulders
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fennel seeds
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 2 large brown onions, peeled and thickly sliced
- 750ml dry white wine (or 700ml water + 50ml white or red wine vinegar)
Garlic Honey
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 1 large clove fresh garlic, crushed or finely grated
- Freshly cracked black pepper
SERVES 10-14 (3 SHOULDERS)
Lamb Shoulder
- 3 x 1.2 kg bone-in lamb shoulders
- 2 1/2 tablespoons fennel seeds
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 2 large brown onions, peeled and thickly sliced
- 750ml dry white wine (or 700ml water + 50ml white or red wine vinegar)
- 250ml water
Garlic Honey
- 6 tablespoons honey
- 2 large cloves fresh garlic, crushed or finely grated
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Method
Lamb Shoulder
- Add the fennel seeds, garlic, and salt to a mortar and pestle. Roughly crush until the garlic is smashed and the mixture is fragrant.
Tip: If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, roughly chop the garlic and combine it with the salt and fennel seeds. - Rub the salt mixture all over the lamb.
- Layer the sliced onion into a snug-fitting ovenproof dish with a lid. Nestle the lamb on top.
- Pour in the white wine (and water if using 3 shoulders).
- Cover with the lid and bake at 130°C/270°F for 5 1/2 hours.
- Remove the lid, increase the oven temperature to 200°C/390°F, and roast for a further 20-30 minutes until the lamb is deeply golden and caramelised on top.
- Rest the lamb for 5-10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and drizzle with warm garlic honey. Finish with flaky sea salt and serve hot.
Garlic Honey
- In a small saucepan, gently warm the honey, garlic, and a crack of black pepper over low-medium heat until the garlic is fragrant. Don’t overcook - you want a warm, runny glaze, not a caramel.
NOTES
- Serving Sizes: I’ve included options for different quantities of lamb shoulders, as I’ve made this recipe many times with one, two, or three. It’s not always as simple as doubling or tripling the ingredients - a few small tweaks make a big difference to the end result. I most often make two or three for entertaining, but having a one-shoulder version is super handy when cooking for just a few.
- White Wine: The white wine adds a subtle but delicious depth of flavour to the lamb. A dry white works best - chardonnay or sauvignon blanc are great options. A cleanskin bottle from your local grocer or wine shop is perfect for cooking - it’s often good quality at a lower price.
- Wine Substitute: If you’d prefer not to use wine, I’ve included a water and vinegar substitute. The flavour won’t be quite the same, but it still provides that essential acidity. For the three-shoulder version, the recipe calls for 750ml wine and 250ml water. You can absolutely use 1 litre of wine instead - I just wanted to avoid needing to open an extra bottle if it’s not necessary. Handy tip: I like to freeze leftover wine into large ice cubes and keep them in the freezer for cooking.
- Serve It Hot: This dish is best served while the lamb is hot. Because it’s a fattier cut, it tends to firm up as it cools. For the most luscious texture, serve it straight from the oven (with that warm garlic honey drizzled over the top).
- Leftovers: The lamb reheats beautifully or can be shredded into flatbreads, tossed into pasta, or added to hearty salads.
- Garlic Honey: Can be made ahead of time and gently rewarmed before serving.
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