This post is sponsored by Cornershop Canada.
Caribbean Spiced Roast Lamb is the perfect dish for your family this Christmas. This lamb is tender, flavorful, and surprisingly straightforward to make, all you need to do is season a bone in lamb shoulder and roast in the oven until the meat becomes pull-apart tender. It will be the star at your holiday dinner table!
‘Tis the season for spiced roast lamb…
Happy Sunday all!
Can you believe it is less than a week before Christmas? I knew I had to do something special to celebrate my favorite time of year. Every Christmas, I look forward to reuniting with my family and celebrating Christmas with a huge feast. This year, the celebration will be limited due to COVID, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still have a feast.
This Caribbean Spiced Roast Lamb is the perfect way to celebrate this season. Lamb has a very unique flavor, and when cooked properly, it just melts off the bone. Add flavorful Caribbean spices and herbs and this lamb is elevated to the level of BOMB.com!
I was very excited to make lamb this year, because it’s not something I cook very often. I really had to practice getting the seasonings and the cooking time right, because the last thing anyone wants to do is mess up a holiday meal!
But all that effort was worth it, because now, I can share this awesome lamb recipe with you, just in time for your holiday dinner.
The recipe…
For this recipe, I used a bone in lamb shoulder. I’m convinced that cooking with meat that is bone in results in a more tender, more flavorful dish. If you can’t find bone in, don’t be afraid to ask your local butcher to prepare a special cut for you. As usual Giovanni, my local butcher, looked out for me and got me the perfect cut. Shout out to the amazing workers who continue to support us during these crazy times!
Now, what makes this roast lamb special is the seasonings we’ll use on it. First, I start with my all purpose homemade green seasoning, which “preps” the lamb. You all should be familiar with my green seasoning by now. It has lots of fresh herbs, garlic, pepper, and spices, so it’s perfect for adding a base of flavor to the meat.
Lamb has a very strong flavor, so it’s important that we season the meat generously. And make sure to get the seasoning into every crevice. Cut small slits all over the lamb to make sure the seasoning penetrates the lamb. Let the lamb sit and absorb the green seasoning while we work on preparing the second marinade.
Season, season, season!
After the green seasoning, it’s time to season the lamb a second time, this time with a more acidic marinade. This second seasoning has a more concentrated flavor, and lots of acid, which will help tenderize the meat and make it fall apart delicious when it cooks. In a mortar and pestle, combine garlic, adobe seasoning, salt, oil, lime juice, lime zest, ginger, thyme, clove, and all spice until it forms a thick paste. Massage the marinade all over the lamb, making sure to get it everywhere. Cover the meat with foil and let it sit in the fridge overnight. No exceptions. The marinade needs to sit on the meat for hours so the lamb can absorb the flavor.
When you are ready to cook, remove the lamb from the fridge and let it get back to room temperature. It took me about an hour and a half. Place the lamb in a roasting pan, then cover tightly with parchment paper and foil. We want to make sure the lamb is tightly covered so all the flavor stays inside. You can also use a oven safe bag. Roast at 325 for 3-3.5 hours. You may need more or less time depending on your meat. Lamb really can’t over cook at this temperature, so if you are unsure, leave it for 3.5 hours. Remove the lamb and uncover it. The lamb should have spread lots of juice in the pan, use a spoon to base the lamb with the juices.
Finally, remove the foil and turn the heat up to 425. Return the lamb to the oven uncovered and roast for about another 45 minutes, until the skin of the lamb is crispy. Crispy equals flavor! But do not confuse crispy with burnt now… that’s just burnt. Watch your oven and make sure to take the lamb out if it starts to burn.
A few tips…
This recipe is honestly not about following the recipe to the letter. You really have to adapt to the meat. This means you have to taste the marinade and adjust as necessary. You also may need to increase the quantity depending on the size of your lamb. You may also need to cook longer or for less time depending on the size of your meat and how hot your oven runs. Try this recipe a few times and you’ll get the hang of it. Trust me, it’s so worth it.
Thanks so much to Cornershop for sponsoring this recipe. With Cornershop, you can save time and stay in the comfort of your home by getting your groceries delivered. It’s perfect for keeping socially distanced, and staying warm this holiday! Check them out on the Uber Eats app under the “Groceries” tab.
Looking for more holiday recipes? Try:
Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Garlic Brown Butter
Oxtail Ragu with Plantain Gnocchi
Share this recipe…
If you make this recipe, be sure to let me know by rating it and leaving a comment below. I would love to hear from you. And don’t forget to tag #sweetandsorrel on Instagram!
Caribbean Spiced Roast Lamb
Ingredients
- 6-7 lb bone in lamb shoulder
- 4 tbsp
green seasoning
Caribbean Spice Rub
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 limes zest and juice
- 2 tbsp adobe seasoning
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 in fresh ginger, peeled
- 5 balls of clove
- 4 all spice pods
- bunch of fresh thyme
- coarse salt and pepper
Instructions
- Clean lamb with vinegar and water. Then clean again with lime juice. Pat dry. Cut small slits all over lamb using a knife. Season with green seasoning. Set aside while you prepare the marinade.
- In a mortar and pestle, add all of the ingredients for the spice rub, and press until it forms a thick paste. Paste should be the consistency of apple sauce. Taste the marinade and adjust seasoning as needed. The rub should have a very concentrated flavor. If you want more spice, add more paprika, or a habanero pepper. Rub marinade all over the lamb and make sure to get it into every crevice. Cover lamb and place in the fridge overnight (at least 8 hours).
- Let lamb come to room temperature (took about 1.5 hours for me). Place lamb in a roasting pan, then cover with parchment paper, followed by thick foil. Tightly seal the foil around the edge of the roasting pan to ensure no liquids escape. Roast at 325 degrees F for 3 to 3.5 hours. TIP: You can also place the lamb in an oven safe bag, then place into a roasting pan.
- Remove lamb from oven and remove foil and parchment paper/ oven safe bag. Base the lamb in it's juices. Return lamb uncovered to oven and roast for another 45 minutes at 425 degrees.
- Once the lamb is done, let it rest for about 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with fresh herbs and cranberries (optional).
Did You Make This Recipe?
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