Air Fryer Lamb Shoulder – deliciously tender and succulent roast lamb shoulder in your air fryer. Rustle up a quick marinade and let your air fryer do all the work – this truly is the BEST lamb shoulder recipe. An excellent choice for you Easter lunch or dinner menu.
Post may contain affiliate links. For more information, check my disclosure
Easter is around the corner and I bet you have been searching for lamb recipes to impress friends and family with. Well you have come to the right place because I have a real treat for you – the BEST Air Fryer Lamb Shoulder roast.
Forget oven roasting for hours and hours. Your air fryer will roast your lamb in a fraction of the time and the results are outstanding! I haven’t even so much as turned on my oven in months, that’s how much I rely on the air fryer for our meals.
GET TO KNOW YOUR LAMB CUT
Lamb shoulder requires long and slow cooking to render the fat and tenderize the meat. This is likely the reason it has an unfair reputation of being tough and chewy.
Prep the lamb shoulder with a marinade to dial up the flavor and air fry until the meat is very tender when pierced with a knife. A meat thermometer is essential to make sure the lamb is cooked to your liking (more on that later!).
ROAST LAMB SHOULDER INGREDIENTS
The size of your air fryer basket will determine whether you can roast a full lamb shoulder or a half shoulder of lamb. The smaller joints are perfect if you are serving a small family, but most large air fryers will accommodate a full-size lamb shoulder. Here’s what you will need:
- Large lamb shoulder or half shoulder of lamb (bone in)
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh thyme and rosemary
- Lemon zest and juice
- Capers (in brine)
- Worcestershire sauce
- Honey
- Olive oil
- Ground cumin, salt and pepper
HOW MAKE AIR FRYER SHOULDER OF LAMB
Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!
MARINATE THE LAMB
Add all the ingredients for the lamb marinade into a mini chopper and blitz to a rough paste. You can also do this in a pestle and mortar.
Pierce the lamb shoulder all over with the tip of a knife. Add the marinade and rub all over the lamb. Cover and transfer to the fridge to marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to two hours.
AIR FRY UNTIL TENDER
Take the lamb out of the fridge and leave it to come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Lay two pieces of foil on your countertop. Place the lamb in the middle and pour the marinade over it.
Wrap tightly so that the lamb is fully encased in the foil. Place in the air fryer basket and roast at 160°C / 320°F for 40 minutes per side.
Remove the foil. Increase the heat to 180°C/350°F and cook for a further 20 minutes, flipping over halfway. You want the lamb to crisp up.
REST AND SERVE
Transfer the lamb onto a plate and cover loosely with foil. Rest for 10-20 minutes before carving against the grain using a meat knife (this Victorinox slicing knife is my new go-to).
Collect any roasting juices into a gravy separator and discard the fat. This can also be done very easily by chilling in the fridge while lamb rests and then skimming the fat that solidifies.
Drizzle the lamb with the roasting juices and serve with smashed potatoes, roasted butternut squash salad or a fresh Greek salad and marvel at the melt-in-your-mouth tender lamb!
RECIPE NOTES AND FAQs
How long does lamb shoulder take in air fryer?
Lamb shoulder is a well-used part of the animal, full of fat and connective tissue. It can take several hours (up to 8!) to slow roast in the oven. It takes a lot less time in an air fryer but even so I would still suggest you cook it for a total of 90 – 110 minutes for maximum tenderness.
The most reliable way to ensure fork-tender lamb shoulder is to use an instant-read thermometer like the Thermapen. Aim for an internal temperature of 88-93°C/ 190-200°F meltingly tender lamb that slices like butter!
For pulled lamb you can shred with two forks, you will want to cook it for even longer until the temperature reaches 95°C/203°F.
HAVE YOU MADE MY AIR FRYER LAMB SHOULDER RECIPE? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day! If you have any questions send me a message on Instagram and I will do my best to reply quickly.
Air Fryer Lamb Shoulder
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary
- 1 lemon juice and zest
- 2 tbsp capers in brine
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
For the lamb
- 2 kg (4 1/2 lbs) shoulder of lamb or two half shoulders of lamb
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
MARINATE THE LAMB
- Add all the ingredients for the lamb marinade into a mini chopper and blitz to a rough paste.4 garlic cloves, 2 tbsp fresh thyme, 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, 1 lemon, 2 tbsp capers, 2 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp freshly ground pepper, 2 tbsp ground cumin
- Pierce the lamb shoulder all over with the tip of a knife. Add the marinade and rub all over the lamb. Cover and transfer to the fridge to marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to two hours.2 kg (4 1/2 lbs) shoulder of lamb
AIR FRY UNTIL TENDER
- Take the lamb out of the fridge and leave it to come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Lay two pieces of foil on your countertop. Place the lamb in the middle and pour the marinade over it.
- Wrap tightly so that the lamb is fully encased in the foil. Place in the air fryer basket and roast at 160°C / 320°F for 40 minutes per side.
- Remove the foil. Increase the heat to 180°C/350°F and cook for a further 20 minutes, flipping over halfway. You want the lamb to crisp up and the surface and any fat to crisp up.
REST AND SERVE
- Transfer the lamb onto a plate and cover loosely with foil. Rest for 10-20 minutes before carving against the grain using a meat knife.
- Collect any roasting juices and leftover marinade into a gravy separator and discard the fat. This can also be done very easily by chilling in the fridge while lamb rests and then skimming the fat that solidifies.
- Drizzle the lamb with the roasting juices and serve with smashed potatoes, roasted butternut squash salad or a fresh Greek salad and marvel at the melt-in-your-mouth tender lamb!
Leave a Reply