By David Tanis
- Total Time
- 4 hours, mostly unattended
- Rating
- 4(83)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Lamb shoulder is an extremely versatile cut of meat, useful for everything from stews to kebabs. Steamed lamb shoulder is wonderfully succulent and tender, well worth the several hours it takes to cook. This recipe is inspired by one in Paula Wolfert’s "Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco," published in 1973.
Featured in: A Steamed Lamb Shoulder, Moroccan Style
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Ingredients
Yield:4 to 6 servings
- 1tied boneless lamb shoulder roast, about 4 pounds
- 1tablespoon kosher salt
- 1teaspoon ground cumin
- 1teaspoon ground coriander
- ½pound young carrots, cut in 2-inch batons
- ½pound medium turnips
- 1pound zucchini, cut in 2-inch batons
- Cilantro sprigs, for garnish
- Pinch of saffron
- 4tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ½teaspoon ground cumin
- ½teaspoon salt
- 1sweet red pepper, roasted, peeled and chopped, about ½ cup
- 1small garlic clove, smashed to a paste
- ¼teaspoon cayenne
- ½teaspoon ground cumin
- ½cup olive oil
- Salt to taste
For the Lamb
For the Saffron Butter
For the Red Pepper Oil
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
907 calories; 78 grams fat; 30 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 36 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 42 grams protein; 1169 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Season the lamb: Mix the salt with cumin and coriander, then rub mixture over surface of meat. Cover and leave at room temperature for 1 hour (or cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight, then bring to room temperature).
Step
2
Set up a steamer with abundant boiling water and steamer basket above water level. Put lamb in steamer, cover tightly and steam over medium-high heat until lamb is quite tender and nearly falling apart, 2½ to 3 hours. (Alternatively, steam lamb in a pressure cooker for about 1½ hours.)
Step
3
Make the saffron butter: Put a teaspoon of water in a small bowl and add crumbled saffron threads. When saffron has released its color, add butter, cumin and salt, then mash together with a small spoon. Leave at room temperature.
Step
4
Make the red pepper oil: Whirl chopped pepper, garlic, cayenne, cumin and olive oil in a food processor or blender. Transfer to a serving bowl and season with salt.
Step
5
When lamb is almost done, add carrots, turnips and zucchini to steamer and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. (Alternatively, cook vegetables in separate steamer or simmer in lightly salted water.)
Step
6
Put lamb on a large serving platter, cut into rough chunks and surround with vegetables. Smear surface of lamb with saffron butter. Ladle a bit of lamb broth from bottom of steamer over vegetables (save remaining broth for another purpose). Garnish with cilantro sprigs. Serve red pepper sauce alongside.
Tip
- Use extreme caution when removing the lid of the steamer, keeping hands and arms out of the way. Hot blasting steam can cause severe burns.
Ratings
4
out of 5
83
user ratings
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Cooking Notes
Sara
Question: will a bowl suspended above water level substitute for a steamer basket or is the intent something more like a sieve?
voxsusanna
I used the trussed, boneless 4-lb leg of goat I couldn't resist at my butcher's, cooked on a rack inside my large stainless pressure cooker for 3 hrs. We don't care for turnips and substituted rutabagas, all veggies in chunks rather than batons, adding zucchini last.
Spectacular result! One guest asked for a third helping. Saffron butter, pepper oil recipes are keepers for other uses. All flavors were very balanced: ground my whole cumin & coriander seeds, rubbed overnight.
Davida
I had wonderful success with this recipe just as it is written. But this time I have only butterflied leg of lamb to work with. I assume it will work as well if I shorten the steaming time. But by how much?
skips
Add garlic and double the spices in the rub. The rub forms a tasty crust. Add Szechuan pepper to the pepper oil and dip everything in it to vary the flavor as you eat. Stir fry steam the veggies, used various.
lisanell
Really need to watch so water does not boil away
Amy
I cooked this in a steamer last night. Like others, I found the lamb itself to be a little bland (nothing salt won't fix). For the amount of time I marinaded the lamb in dry spice rub, I'm surprised at how little flavor the meat took from the spices (but the meat itself was very flavorful!). Next time I'll prick the lamb all over and maybe add more spices. The butter added too much richness to the already-rich lamb (and I'm pretty decadent), but the pepper oil was 5/5!
Judy
Question. In a pressure cooker do I just place it in liquid or do I construct a shelf above liquid to sit it on ??
David Tanis
It would be better if the meat were above the liquid.
You might check instructions on the pressure cooker to see if there’s a recommended steaming method.
Easiest would be to have a layer of large potatoes or other vegetables on the bottom to keep the meat from sitting in water.
voxsusanna
I used the trussed, boneless 4-lb leg of goat I couldn't resist at my butcher's, cooked on a rack inside my large stainless pressure cooker for 3 hrs. We don't care for turnips and substituted rutabagas, all veggies in chunks rather than batons, adding zucchini last.
Spectacular result! One guest asked for a third helping. Saffron butter, pepper oil recipes are keepers for other uses. All flavors were very balanced: ground my whole cumin & coriander seeds, rubbed overnight.
Garrett
I made this for a dinner party and was very pleased with it. Lamb shoulder can be difficult to find; however, Trader Joe's carries it and it's trussed already.
If you want a starchy side, use the steaming liquid to make couscous while the veggies steam.
The red pepper oil is wonderful! That could easily become a staple with any meat dish, couscous, or as a veggie dip. Want more heat? Ramp up the cayenne.
David Hays Buckley
Where is your Trader Joe's that has lamb shoulder and domestic or imported?
Audre & Dimitri
The lamb was delicious but the recipe didn't enhance it even though it marinated and should have been tastier.
John
This was a great dish to serve company and was really enjoyed. Had to spice up the red pepper sauce a little as it was rather bland
Mike
I made this last night. Followed the recipe to the letter and found that the final product was far too bland for my taste.
ai
I went to two butchers-- lamb shoulder boneless?... impossible to find boneless. Did it anyway w/ bones-- came out just fine!
(And it's not any cheaper than leg of lamb!)
VSB
Good Evening: Also works with leg of lamb if you can't find a shoulder. Substituted parsnips for the turnips with good results. Used the remaining broth to make lamb-flavored rice, but couscous would have tasted even better. Will make this again for guests.
Sara
Question: will a bowl suspended above water level substitute for a steamer basket or is the intent something more like a sieve?
Garrett
I used a colander inside a Dutch oven, then covered it with aluminum foil. It worked fine.
Clancy
While the lamb will cook in a bowl suspended in water, there are two disadvantages to this approach:
- The lamb won't be as meltingly tender
- The resulting lamb broth won't be as delicious when used for other purposes
Jim
I'd cook the zucchini for a shorter time than the carrots & turnips. sounds delicious.
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