Description

This slow-roast Easter stuffed lamb shoulder is an impressive and flavorful centerpiece perfect for a festive meal. The lamb is carefully butterflied pounded to an even thickness, filled with a savory mushroom, spinach, and nut stuffing, then rolled and slow-roasted with baby potatoes. The result is tender, juicy meat infused with aromatic herbs and a rich homemade gravy made from the roasting juices. Garnished with chopped pistachios and served alongside sautéed green beans, this dish combines rustic tradition with elegant presentation.

Ingredients

Scale

Lamb and Stuffing

1.35 – 1.5 kg (2.7 – 3 lb) deboned lamb shoulder
1 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt, divided
1 tsp black pepper, divided
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp (20g) unsalted butter
2 eschalots (shallots), finely diced
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
300g (10 oz) button/white mushrooms
2 tightly packed cups baby spinach (about 100g), roughly chopped
3 tbsp skinless hazelnuts
3 tbsp pistachios, roughly chopped
1 1/2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped (optional)
1 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or substitute fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried)
1 tbsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Potatoes

1 kg (2 lb) baby potatoes, cut in half (or quarter if large)
1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Gravy

2 tbsp plain/all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups low sodium beef stock / broth
1/4 tsp dark soy sauce (optional, for deeper color)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Garnish and Sides

1 tbsp pistachios, roughly chopped (optional garnish)
Rosemary sprigs (optional garnish)
Sautéed green beans (optional side)

Instructions

Roast Hazelnuts: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F), 160°C fan-forced. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking tray and roast them for about 8 minutes until fragrant. Cool completely before roughly chopping.
Prepare Mushroom Mixture: Blitz the mushrooms in a food processor until chopped into small pieces around 3mm. Melt the butter in a non-stick pan over high heat, then add diced eschalots, minced garlic, and the chopped mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly until the mushrooms release their liquid and it mostly evaporates. Add the roughly chopped spinach and cook until wilted.
Cool and Combine Stuffing: Transfer the mushroom and spinach mixture to a bowl and let it cool for 20 minutes. Then stir in the roasted hazelnuts, pistachios, parsley, rosemary, lemon zest, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Mix well.
Form Stuffing Log: Place the mixture on a piece of cling wrap and shape it into a log approximately 35 cm (13.5 inches) long. Roll tightly in cling wrap and freeze for at least 3 hours or up to 3 days until firm.
Pound and Prepare Lamb: Place the lamb shoulder fat-side down on a surface and cover with plastic wrap or baking paper. Use a rolling pin or meat mallet to pound the lamb into a roughly 40 x 22 cm (15.5 x 8.5 inches) rectangle about 1.75 cm (2/3 inch) thick. Trim and patch pieces as needed for an even shape.
Assemble Roll: Sprinkle half of the salt and pepper evenly over the surface of the lamb. Unwrap the frozen stuffing log and place it along one edge of the lamb. Roll the lamb up tightly around the stuffing, finishing with the seam side down. Tie the roll securely with kitchen twine at 2 cm (0.8 inch) intervals.
Preheat Oven and Season: Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F), 200°C fan-forced. Rub the outside of the lamb roll all over with olive oil, then sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper.
Prepare Potatoes: Toss the halved baby potatoes with salt, pepper, and olive oil in a large roasting pan. Place the lamb roll on top of the potatoes, positioning diagonally if needed to fit.
High Temperature Roast: Roast the lamb and potatoes for 30 minutes at 220°C to render fat and develop color.
Slow Roast: Lower the heat to 160°C (320°F), 140°C fan-forced. Continue roasting for 2 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature of the lamb reaches 98°C (208°F) or the meat is tender and can be easily pulled apart with forks.
Rest the Meat: Remove the lamb and potatoes from the oven and transfer to a tray. Loosely cover with foil and allow to rest while preparing the gravy.
Make Gravy: Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of fat from the roasting pan, taking care to keep the dark brown meat juices. Place the pan on the stove over medium heat. When the fat is hot, sprinkle the flour over it and stir for 1 minute to cook out the flour taste.
Thicken Gravy: Gradually pour in the beef stock, stirring continuously. Add the dark soy sauce if using. Continue stirring and simmer gently until the gravy thickens to a consistency similar to maple syrup. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Strain if necessary and pour into a jug.
Serve: Remove the kitchen twine from the lamb and slice the roll into 2 cm (0.8 inch) thick slices. Arrange on a platter surrounded by the roasted potatoes. Spoon over gravy, optionally sprinkle chopped pistachios and garnish with rosemary sprigs. Serve with sautéed green beans for color and freshness.

Notes

Note 1: The deboned lamb shoulder is easier to butterfly and roll when boneless, yielding better stuffing coverage.
Note 2: Eschalots are often called shallots in the US; a small onion can be substituted but flavor differs slightly.
Note 3: Button mushrooms are preferred for stuffing; avoid very large or wild mushrooms for best texture.
Note 4: Skinless hazelnuts and pistachios add crunch and flavor; roasting intensifies their nuttiness.
Note 5: Use baby potatoes for even roasting. Larger potatoes should be cut into quarters for proper cooking.
Note 6: Dark soy sauce added to the gravy is optional and mainly for color depth, not essential for taste.
Note 7: Freezing the stuffing log helps maintain its shape when rolling inside the lamb and improves slicing.

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Category: Main Course
Method: Roasting
Cuisine: Western, Easter

Keywords: slow roast lamb, stuffed lamb shoulder, Easter lamb recipe, mushroom stuffing, holiday roast, lamb with potatoes, homemade gravy, festive lamb dish