Cook them low, cook them slow. These lamb shoulder recipes take time, but you’ll be rewarded with tender, fall-apart meat. The Middle East yields some of the best recipes for slow-cooked lamb shoulder – try the Persian lamb with rhubarb and chelow, the slow-cooker Morrocan lamb with honey, or the Baharat spiced lamb shoulder with onions and moghrabieh.
For some Chinese flavours, head to the lamb with cumin from Andrew McConnell’s Golden Fields restaurant, Neil Perry’s shredded lamb shoulder with salted chilli, or the shou zhua yang rou chuan (deep-fried lamb skewers with chilli and cumin). And for a weekend project, the eight-hour lamb shoulder with Israeli couscous and labne proves that when it comes to lamb shoulder recipes, slow and steady always win the race.

Slow-roasted lamb shoulder with pistachios, pomegranate and vine leaves

Pinbone’s lamb shoulder ragù with gnocchetti

Greek-style lamb shoulder and bean stew

Iranian-style lamb shoulder with cranberry and pistachio spiced rice

Rick Shores’ slow roasted lamb shoulder with yellow bean, cumin and chilli

Pide rolls with roast lamb and beetroot

Buttermilk-brined lamb shoulder with harissa

The Bridge Room’s coal-grilled lamb shoulder and loin, Jerusalem artichoke purée and chips

Lamb shoulder braised in wine with peas and pecorino

Slow-roasted lamb shoulder with brussels sprout slaw

Fregola and roast tomato salad with barbecued lamb shoulder

Roman-style lamb with rosemary, sage and anchovy

Pyrénées-style slow-cooked lamb with sherry and paprika

Baharat lamb shoulder with onions and moghrabieh

Lamb skewers with chilli and cumin (shou zhua yang rou chuan)

Neil Perry’s shredded lamb shoulder with salted chilli

Slow-cooked lamb with hummus, tomato salad and mint salsa

Slow-roasted lamb shoulder with pumpkin, carrots, cumin yoghurt and mint salsa

Braised lamb with roast carrot and mixed grains

Slow-roasted lamb shoulder with baked ricotta and green olives
