Slow Cooked Lamb Shawarma

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Slow Cooked Lamb Shawarma with Lemon, Herb Couscous

This meltingly tender Slow Cooked Lamb Shawarma is the stuff food dreams are made of!! Slathered in a deceptively simple shawarma spice rub then slow cooked until fall apart, the flavour and fragrance of this lamb is absolutely heavenly. This recipe is ideal for butterflied lamb leg OR lamb shoulder.

Prep 10 mins, Cook 3 hrs 30 mins

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1.7 kg  butterflied lamb leg

Shawarma Paste:

  • 3 garlic cloves , minced
  • 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 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 cup / 65 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 – 3 tbsp / 40 – 60 ml lemon juice

Cooking:

  • 2 cups/ 500 ml water

Lemon Herb Couscous

  • 3/4 cup raisins or sultanas (or other dried fruit of choice)
  • 1.5 cups each couscous
  • 1.5 cups hot boiled vegetable stock.
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped mint
  • Zest and juice of one lemon
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • The Good Grocer Collection extra virgin olive oil, to taste.
  • Pomegranate seeds

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F (standard) or 160C/320F (fan forced / convection).
  2. 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.
  3. Place lamb in a large roasting pan. Slather all over with paste. 
  4. Position the lamb with the fat side up. Pour water around, cover tightly with foil.
  5. Roast 3 hours, removing from the oven 2 – 3 times to spoon over pan juices.
  6. Remove foil. Meat should be tender – check with 2 forks.
  7. Baste again, then return to oven for 30 minutes to get a nice crust.
  8. Combine raisins or sultanas in a bowl with with couscous and hot boiled vegetable stock. Cover with cling wrap, leave for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork. Stir through parsley, mint, lemon zest, juice, salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil. 
  9. Remove lamb from roasting pan – reserve juices.
  10. Slice or shred lamb, as desired. Drizzle with plenty of juices.
  11. Top with pomegranate seeds.

Recipe by Recipe Tin Eats