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Low and slow for this fall-off-the-bone braised lamb shoulder with grapes. Carve and serve it or throw it back in the pan for those crispy edges!
Braised lamb shoulder with grapes is the perfect main dish for your spring holiday meal. It’s practically hands off, which leaves you free to prep all the sides, and it can be served two ways, which makes today’s recipe pretty much a two-fer!
Lamb is a popular dish for both Easter dinner and a Passover seder. I’ve made this boneless roasted leg of lamb countless times for the holidays, but wanted to try something a little different this year.
This year I decided to make a simple braised lamb shoulder. You can buy it trimmed and tied, but I opted for a bone-in lamb shoulder for optimal flavor and a rustic appearance.
After braising the lamb until it is fork tender, you can slice it and serve it with the strained and skimmed sauce OR you can cut it up and pop it back in the pan with the grapes and sauce and crank up the heat.
Cook it over med/high heat until those edges are deliciously caramelized and crispy. This is a great way to serve and repurpose any leftovers as well.
Serve it alongside mashed potatoes and green beans for a classic meal or grab a couple tortillas and go for lamb tacos (like in this recipe). Any way you slice it (and serve it), it’s sure to be a hit!
Let’s make braised lamb shoulder with grapes
- Generously season the lamb shoulder.
- Sear the lamb on all sides.
- Remove the lamb shoulder to a plate and add the chopped onion and smashed garlic cloves to the pot. Sauté until golden.
- Deglaze with white wine and reduce. Add the lamb, stock, grapes, and thyme sprigs to the pot. Cover and braise in the oven until very tender.
- Remove the lamb and strain the sauce. Discard the solids and then skim off the fat.
- Return the sauce the pan to warm though. Add the remaining grapes to the pan and serve the sauce with the lamb.
Tips for success
- Do not be intimidated by cooking a whole bone-in lamb shoulder if you haven’t before. It’s super easy and practically does all the work in its own! After searing, cover it, pop it in the oven, and let it roast undisturbed, until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender.
- Don’t skip draining the fat from the drippings (a fat separator works well if you have one). The drippings add moisture and flavor, but they will be greasy if you don’t skim the fat.
- Because the meat is so tender and literally falls off the bone, you won’t get perfectly neat slices.
- If you prefer your lamb with crispy edges, slice it and pop it back into the pot or into a sauté pan with the sauce and grapes and cook over high heat until browned and caramelized.
More tasty braises
- Guinness Braised Beef Stew
- Irish Whiskey Braised Short Ribs
- Braised Collard Greens with Bacon
- Braised Chicken with Grapes
- Braised Veal and Peppers
Low and slow for this fall-off-the-bone braised lamb shoulder with grapes. Carve and serve it or throw it back in the pan for those crispy edges!
- 5 lb whole lamb shoulder, bone-in
- 1 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 1/2 cup chicken stock (plus more if needed)
- 4 cups seedless red grapes, divided
- 8 thyme sprigs
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Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Let the lamb should sit at room temperature for at least 30 mins before roasting.
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Rub the salt, pepper and garlic powder all over the lamb, rubbing it into the meat.
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Heat 1 Tbsp oil until hot but not smoking in a large oven-safe pan or roasting pan (I use an enamel coated dutch oven). Place the lamb, fat-side down into the pan and sear until browned on all sides.
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Remove the lamb to a plate and pour off all but 1 Tbsp of drippings. If the drippings are burnt, pour off all of them, wipe out the pan and heat another Tbsp of oil until hot.
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Add the onions and smashed garlic cloves, season with salt and pepper, and saute until golden, about 5 mins.
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Deglaze with the white wine and reduce by half. Place the lamb back in the pot and add the stock, 2 cups of grapes, and the thyme sprigs. The liquid should come to about 1/3 of the lamb. Add more stock if needed.
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Cover and roast for 3 hours, checking occasionally and adding more water or stock if the pot is becoming to dry.
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When the lamb is fork tender, remove it to a plate or platter and tent with foil. Drain off the fat, strain the drippings, and discard the solids.
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Return the strained sauce to the pan and bring to a boil. Add the remaining grapes to the sauce and cook until the sauce is slightly reduced. Remove the bone from the lamb, slice and serve with the sauce.
- Do not be intimidated by cooking a whole bone-in lamb shoulder if you haven’t before. It’s super easy and practically does all the work in its own! After searing, cover it, pop it in the oven, and let it roast undisturbed, until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender.
- Don’t skip draining the fat from the drippings (a fat separator works well if you have one). The drippings add moisture and flavor, but they will be greasy if you don’t skim the fat.
- Because the meat is so tender and literally falls off the bone, you won’t get perfectly neat slices.
- If you prefer your lamb with crispy edges, slice it and pop it back into the pot or into a sauté pan with the sauce and grapes and cook over high heat until browned and caramelized.
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