Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 4 to 5 lb bone-in lamb shoulder
- 8 garlic cloves (6 slivered, 2 grated)
- 2 tbsp chopped rosemary; 2 tsp thyme; 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt; 1 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cumin; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large onions (wedges); 1 cup low-sodium stock or water
- Flatbread: 2 cups flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 3/4 cup Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup warm water, 2 tbsp olive oil
- Sauce: 1 cup Greek yogurt, 1 small cucumber, 2 tbsp dill, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 small garlic clove, 1 tbsp olive oil
- Dill and lemon wedges for serving
Do This
- 1. Heat oven to 300°F. Cut 12 small slits in lamb; insert garlic slivers. Rub with herb paste (grated garlic, rosemary, thyme, lemon zest, spices, salt, pepper, oil).
- 2. Set lamb on onions in a roasting pan with 1 cup stock/water; cover tightly with foil. Roast 3 hours.
- 3. Mix flatbread dough; knead briefly; rest covered 30 minutes. Divide into 8 balls.
- 4. Make yogurt-cucumber-dill sauce; chill.
- 5. Uncover lamb, raise oven to 375°F; roast 45–60 minutes until crusty and 195–205°F internal; rest 20 minutes.
- 6. Cook flatbreads on a hot skillet 1–2 minutes per side; brush with pan drippings or olive oil.
- 7. Shred lamb, toss with reduced pan juices. Pile onto flatbreads with sauce, dill, and lemon.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Slow-roasted, garlic-studded lamb that shreds like a dream and tastes deeply herby.
- Skillet flatbread made in minutes that soaks up savory drippings.
- Cool yogurt, crisp cucumber, and fresh dill balance the richness perfectly.
- Mostly hands-off cooking that feeds a crowd with a show-stopping platter.
Grocery List
- Produce: Garlic, yellow onions, lemons, small cucumber (or 2 Persian), fresh dill, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme
- Dairy: Whole-milk Greek yogurt
- Pantry: Bone-in lamb shoulder, all-purpose flour, baking powder, kosher salt, black pepper, ground cumin, smoked paprika, extra-virgin olive oil, low-sodium chicken stock (or water)
Full Ingredients
Herbed Garlic Lamb Shoulder
- 4 to 5 lb (1.8–2.3 kg) bone-in lamb shoulder
- 8 garlic cloves, divided (6 cut into thin slivers; 2 finely grated)
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions, cut into thick wedges
- 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken stock or water
Skillet Flatbread
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 cup (180 g) whole-milk Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) warm water
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for cooking
Yogurt–Cucumber–Dill Sauce
- 1 cup (240 g) whole-milk Greek yogurt
- 1 small cucumber (about 6 oz), coarsely grated and squeezed dry
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill, plus extra fronds for garnish
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt, plus black pepper to taste
To Serve
- Lemon wedges
- Extra dill fronds
- Flaky salt and black pepper, to finish
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prep and garlic-stud the lamb
Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Pat the lamb dry. With a paring knife, make 12–16 deep slits all over the shoulder and insert the garlic slivers. In a small bowl, mix the grated garlic, rosemary, thyme, lemon zest, kosher salt, black pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, and olive oil to form a paste. Rub the paste over the lamb, working it into crevices and the slits.
Scatter the onion wedges in a roasting pan or Dutch oven. Pour in the stock (or water). Set the lamb on top of the onions.
Step 2: Slow-roast until tender
Cover the pan tightly with foil (or a lid) and roast for 3 hours, until the lamb is very tender when pierced and juices have collected in the pan. If the pan looks dry at any point, add 1/2 cup water. Baste once or twice with the pan juices if convenient.
Step 3: Make the flatbread dough
While the lamb roasts, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Add yogurt, warm water, and olive oil. Stir to form a shaggy dough, then knead on a lightly floured surface for 2–3 minutes until smooth and soft. Cover and rest 30 minutes. After resting, divide into 8 equal balls, cover, and set aside.
Step 4: Stir together the yogurt–cucumber–dill sauce
Grate the cucumber, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and squeeze out excess liquid. In a bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, grated garlic, olive oil, dill, and the squeezed cucumber. Season with black pepper and additional salt to taste. Chill until serving.
Step 5: Crisp and finish the lamb
After 3 hours, uncover the lamb and increase the oven to 375°F (190°C). Roast uncovered for 45–60 minutes, basting once or twice, until the exterior is deeply browned and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part reads 195–205°F (90–96°C) for shreddable meat. Transfer the lamb to a board, tent with foil, and rest 20 minutes.
Pour pan juices (with onions) into a fat separator or a bowl. Skim off excess fat, then simmer the de-fatted juices in a small saucepan over medium heat until slightly syrupy and reduced to about 1/2 cup, 5–8 minutes.
Step 6: Cook the skillet flatbreads
Heat a cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium to medium-high heat. On a lightly floured surface, roll each dough ball into a 6–7 inch round. Cook each flatbread 1–2 minutes per side until puffed in spots with toasted blisters. Brush with a little lamb fat from the pan (or olive oil) and keep warm in a clean towel.
Step 7: Shred, season, and serve
Shred the lamb with two forks, discarding large pockets of fat and bones. Toss the meat with the reduced pan juices and some of the soft roasted onions; taste and adjust with a pinch of salt or a squeeze of lemon if needed. Pile warm flatbreads with shredded lamb, spoon over the yogurt–cucumber–dill sauce, garnish with dill fronds, and finish with a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of flaky salt.
Pro Tips
- Salt varies by brand: if using Morton kosher salt, reduce to about 1 3/4 tsp in the herb paste; for Diamond Crystal, use the full 2 1/2 tsp.
- For extra-crispy edges, broil the lamb on high for 2–3 minutes at the end—watch closely.
- Keep flatbreads soft by stacking them in a towel as they come off the pan; brush with warm drippings for a flavor boost.
- Overnight rest: rub the lamb with the herb paste and refrigerate (covered) up to 24 hours for deeper flavor.
- If your roasting pan is shallow, place the onions and lamb on a rack to keep the meat out of the liquid while still catching drippings.
Variations
- Spice route: swap cumin/paprika for 2 tsp ras el hanout or baharat; finish with chopped mint and a pinch of sumac.
- Greek-leaning: add 1 tsp dried oregano and 2 tbsp red wine to the paste; serve with crumbled feta and tomatoes.
- Pressure cooker path: cook lamb on High Pressure for 90 minutes with 1 cup stock and onions; natural release 15 minutes; transfer to a sheet pan and crisp under the broiler or at 475°F for 10–15 minutes.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Refrigerate shredded lamb (with juices) up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently with a splash of stock, then re-crisp under the broiler if desired. Flatbreads keep 2 days at room temp (airtight) or freeze 1 month; reheat in a skillet. The yogurt–cucumber–dill sauce keeps 2 days refrigerated; if making ahead, grate and squeeze cucumber just before serving to keep it from watering out. The flatbread dough can rest in the fridge (covered) up to 24 hours.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate values for 1/6 of the recipe (1 flatbread, about 5 oz shredded lamb, 3 tbsp sauce): 650 kcal; 36 g protein; 38 g fat; 42 g carbohydrates; 2 g fiber; 940 mg sodium.
