This is one of those exotic dishes that looks and tastes like you’ve been slaving away in the kitchen for hours…but actually, very little active effort is required! Simple to make with everyday ingredients. The lamb is packed with flavour, juicy on the inside and golden brown and crispy on the outside!
My family always gives me grief about how often I make Middle Eastern dishes for family dinners. Or, as they usually say, “Middle Eastern inspired” dishes. Hmph! I don’t think I make that many Middle Eastern dishes. Though….I just remembered….I do have an entire Middle Eastern recipes collection on my blog!
Well, there’s a good reason for it! I love food with big flavours and Middle Eastern food is loaded with flavour. And I love that most of the spices are everyday ones that I always have in my pantry – like cumin, coriander, cinnamon, paprika and cardamon, to name a few.
Lamb is probably the most popular protein in Middle Eastern cuisine. The aromatic spices of the Middle East pair perfectly with the strong flavours of lamb. I’ve never actually come across a shredded Middle Eastern lamb recipe before, and that puzzles me. Because this is really scrumptious. I mean, REALLY scrumptious. Look at the gorgeous caramelisation on the lamb! Can you imagine the taste of the pan fried crispy edges, the heady exotic spices and the juicy lamb??
Though this recipe is a “from scratch” creation so it’s not an authentic recipe (as far as I know), the ingredients I use are drawn from classic Middle Eastern recipes. The preparation of the lamb is super fast, around 10 minutes to get it into the oven. I’ve also provided directions to make this in a slow cooker.
Don’t skip the browning step!! It is key!! It really makes all the difference, so please, please, please do not skip it!
– Nagi x
PS I know I’ve talked a lot about the lamb and not much about the rice….here’s a nice close up of it! It is so much yummier than just plain rice. It’s got just a touch of spices, not too much because otherwise the flavour is too similar to the lamb. 🙂
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Middle Eastern Shredded Lamb
Ingredients
Spice Mix
- 1 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 1/2 tbsp paprika
- 2 tsp ground cardamon or sub with ginger
- 1 tbsp salt
- Black pepper
Slow Roasted Lamb
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1.5 - 2 kg / 3 - 4 lb lamb shoulder bone in, trimmed of excess fat
- 3/4 cup water
To Serve
- 1 - 2 tbsp olive oil
- Lemon highly recommended
- Fresh coriander/cilantro leaves optional - recommended
- Yoghurt optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 150C/300F.
- Combine the Spice Mix ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside 1 1/2 tbsp of the Spice Mix for later (to pan fry the lamb).
- Add the olive oil and garlic into the Spice Mix, then rub all over the lamb.
- Place the lamb on a roasting rack set in a roasting dish (Note 1). Pour the water in the base of the dish. Cover with a lid or double layer of foil.
- Roast for 3 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender enough to pull off with a fork.
- Remove the lid. Turn the oven up as high as it will go and roast for 15 - 20 minutes until the lamb is browned.
- Remove the lamb from the oven. Allow to rest for 20 minutes, then shred coarsely with two forks.
- Skim excess fat off the juices in the roasting dish then set aside. (Note 2)
Browning the Shredded Lamb
- Toss the shredded lamb with the reserved Spice Mix (from Step 2 above).
- Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a heavy based pan over high heat. Add some lamb (don't crowd the pan) and drizzle over about 3 tbsp of the pan juices. Cook until the underside is dark golden brown and crispy - about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes (the juices you poured over will evaporate).
- If the lamb is cold, flip to warm the other side but do not brown too much (retains juiciness).
- Remove lamb from the fry pan, and repeat with remaining lamb, adding extra oil if required.
- To serve, drizzle with a squeeze of lemon juice (this makes a big difference) and top with fresh coriander, plus yoghurt (if using). Serve on Chickpea Pilaf (Rice).
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
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Chickpea Pilaf (Rice)
Ingredients
Chickpea Pilaf (Rice)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 cups long grain rice or basmati
- 2 cans of chickpeas 800g/28oz, drained
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 2 tsp garam masala powder or curry powder or 1/2 tsp coriander + 1/2 tsp all spice
- 1 tsp salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.
- Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent - around 3 minutes.
- Add the rice and stir until the rice becomes translucent, coated with the oil.
- Add remaining ingredients. Place the lid on and bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed.
- Remove from the stove, leaving the lid on, and set aside to reset for 10 minutes.
- Fluff the rice up with a fork and serve with the Middle Eastern Shredded Lamb.
Recipe Notes:
This recipe looks divine. If cooking it in the slow cooker do you still add 3/4 cup water to the slow cooker? And do you need to raise the meat off the base?
Can’t wait to try this yummy!!!!
Hi Lisa! Nope, no need to raise the lamb. I reduce water to 1/4 cup for the slow cooker – thanks for picking that up! 🙂 Recipe updated.
Thank you so much for getting back to me. I’ve printed off quite honestly maybe 30 of your recipes hahahaha. I made the Cajun Blackened Fish last night and it was delish and plan on making the lamb over the weekend. Love your food photography too – it’s truly special the way you capture the food.
Thanks Lisa!!! Your photos are pretty fab too… 🙂
I made this amazing lamb yesterday in the slow cooker. The whole house smelled great all day. I shredded everything up last night (I only snuck a few taste tests…yummmm), then popped it into the freezer with the sauce to have another day when I don’t have time to cook. I am obsessed with the idea of being able to freeze the shredded meat. I’ll be doing some of the mexican recipes you’ve shared with the chicken and beef and pork and doing the same. Just so handy. Thanks Nagi!!!
Awww this is an oldie but a goodie!! I really LOVE this recipe 🙂 I’m really into freezing shredded meat too Lisa, I guess partly because it defrosts so quickly and holds up so well! N x
I have my leg of lamb in the oven right now and it smells amazing. My kids won’t eat chickpeas so I think I will sub in pine nuts and see how we go. I can’t wait for dinner tonight. Thank you!
Oooh! I hope you love it Fiona!
Hi Nagi, just discovered your wonderful site and there are so many recipes I want to try. My sort of food and your food styling is inspiring.
Would this recipe work with a boned leg of lamb? Some Lebanese friends are coming for Christmas and I thought this would be a nice addition to traditional turkey as a main. ?
Thanks!
Thank you so much Pam! Aren’t you wonderful, making the extra dish for your Lebanese friends! 🙂 Yes this will work with leg! I find the meat is not quite as stringy as shoulder which is slightly more suited to shredding. But leg is still great! It will be falling off the bone tender!
Oh, I do love Middle Eastern flavours and I love this combination – lamb is a favourite – hehe I’m and NZ sheep farmers’ daughter:-)
Every little tidbit I read about your life makes me jealous. I would have loved to have grown up on a farm!! 🙂
This is such a beautiful dish Nagi…so much flavor in this lamb and great paired with chickpea pilaf…awesome photos as well.
Hope you are having a wonderful week 🙂
Thanks Juliana! There is a lot of flavour in this lamb…my favorite way to cook!! Hope you are having a great week too!
That chickpea pilaf is such the perfect thing to pair with this shredded lamb. I’m literally drooling! I would give you zero griefs for putting a plate of this in front of me. C’mon look at that lamb! It is looking all kinds of wonderful 🙂
Thank you so much Melissa! You’re so sweet! 🙂
I use a similar method when I make oven “BBQ” pulled pork or beef brisket: liquid in the pan, cover the whole thing with aluminum foil. Makes amazingly tender meat. Authentic or no, this is a terrific looking recipe. Thanks!
Thanks very much John! I know, I’ve read some of your recipes, we use the same technique! 🙂 Liquid in the pan is key I think. Makes all the difference. 🙂
I love love love lamb! We eat it all the time and, in fact, have an uncooked leg in the fridge right now. The texture of yours looks absolutely perfect!! I wish my hubby wasn’t allergic to chickpeas – I’ll have to sub maybe cannellini beans?
Oh things just got very serious up in here. I actually printed these out! BOTH of them!!
Ooooh!! I hope you like them!! 🙂
OMG that lamb looks unbelievable, although I’m not a huge fan of lamb I would totally eat that, love how crispy it looks. And I love the rice, it looks delicious. 🙂
Thanks Jo!! I know, lamb is a love or hate it type thing. None of my relatives in Japan are fans of it. But it is huge in Australia!! 🙂
We all have favourite things to cook and these are also my favourite type of flavours. looks perfectly delicious and spicy and gorgeous
Thanks so much Tania!! 🙂
P.S. Ooh, leftovers in a wrap with a big splodge of hummus! Mmmmm!
OOOH YES! With tomato, lettuce, tabbouleh…..Like a doner kebab, but better!! (Because you actually know what the meat is!)
Very impressive how few ingredients are in this, Nagi, but it looks wonderful. I can imagine this as street food, actually, eaten on a cold day with a plastic fork (?? not sure where that came from …)
I like making tagines, but never tried a more meat shredded lamb recipe like this. “Would be good for a crowd, too! (with a big blob of hummus??)
I don’t know where that came from but I can totally see it too!! 🙂 Ooh and yes, totally good for crowds! I should have mentioned that. Love shredded meats, a little goes a long way! (YES with a huge blob of hummus!!!)
I LOVE Middle Eastern food and this lamb and chickpea pilaf makes me swoon with delight. Yummo. I definitely don’t think you cook too much of this stuff. Keep it coming.
Thanks so much Maureen! 🙂
I gotta say the lamb looks amazing but the riceeeee! OMG, the rice! (Can you tell I’m a rice girl? Well, I’m Brazilian after all!). I really need to make this!
Oh my gosh, Nagi…I am so glad we met! This shredded lamb looks nothing short of incredible!! We don’t make lamb very often around here, and I think the biggest reason is that I’m just not sure how to cook it correctly. Cross that one off of the list! I’m still full from tonight’s dinner, but I’m already looking forward to making this soon. 🙂
Thanks David! YES, I’m glad I finally figured out who “David” is!!! He he!! 🙂 I notice we have some mutual friends too 🙂 Thanks for popping by!
Never cooked lamb before but this looks absolutely delicious!
Thanks Annie! I would be honoured if your first lamb was this dish!! But actually, if you do want to “break into” it gently, I have a lamb kofta recipe on my blog which is made with lamb mince, similar flavours but far faster to cook. Nice one to start with if you are thinking of giving lamb a go!! 🙂 N x
This lamb looks very delicious, Nagi! Love that you served with rice and chickpeas 🙂
Thanks so much Savita! I love chickpeas with rice 🙂
Middle eastern cuisine is one of my very favorites! I could seriously eat it every single day and be a very happy woman. And as much as I absolutely love lamb, the rice dish sounds incredible! It’s always about the rice for me 😉
Wow, what a great creation, Nagi! you nailed it! Even though I didn’t grew up in the Middle East, we use a lot of the same spices in Bulgaria on a regular basis and the flavors are rich and so good. I love the spices combo you used! That last picture of the lamb with rice pilaf is calling my name… 🙂
I keep meaning to try a Bulgarian dish! THANK YOU for reminding me Neli!! N x