Uzbek Tandoor-Style Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder

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Tandir gosht is the crown jewel of Uzbek home cooking, traditionally suspended inside a clay tandoor where it bastes in its own juices for hours until the meat falls from the bone. This home adaptation uses a covered Dutch oven to mimic the tandoor's dry, intense heat and circulating aromas. The result is smoky, tender lamb perfumed with cumin, coriander, and sweet onion.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 490 kcalCalories
• 33 gFat
• 11 gSaturated Fat
• 6 gCarbs
• 1 gFiber
• 3 gSugar
• 38 gProtein
• 780 mgSodium
• 640 mgPotassium
• 55 mgCalcium
• 3.6 mgIron
• 5 mgVitamin C
• 30 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the lamb

• 1 bone-in lamb shoulder, about 1.6 kg (3.5 lb)
• 1/4 cup sunflower or canola oil
• 30 g (2 tbsp) lamb fat or unsalted butter, for basting

For the onion-cumin marinade

• 2 large yellow onions, grated on a box grater
• 6 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 tbsp white vinegar or fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp coarse kosher salt
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For serving

• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• Warm flatbread, for serving

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the grated onion, garlic, vinegar, salt, cumin, coriander, paprika, and black pepper to form a thick, wet paste.
2. Pat the lamb shoulder dry. Using a sharp knife, score the meat in a crosshatch pattern on both sides, cutting about 1 cm deep. Rub the marinade thoroughly into the cuts and across the entire surface, then coat all over with the oil.
3. Place the lamb in a large dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours so the salt and aromatics can penetrate the meat.
4. Thirty minutes before roasting, remove the lamb from the fridge to come to room temperature. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 240°C (465°F).
5. Set the lamb fat-side up on a wire rack placed inside a large Dutch oven or deep roasting pan. Cover with the lid (or seal tightly with heavy foil). Roast at 240°C for 20 minutes to sear the exterior and render the surface fat.
6. Reduce the oven to 150°C (300°F) and continue roasting for 2.5 to 3 hours, basting with the lamb fat every 45 minutes, until the meat is so tender it pulls cleanly from the bone and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part reads at least 85°C (185°F).
7. Transfer the lamb to a cutting board, loosely tent with foil, and let rest for 15 minutes. Pour the pan juices into a small bowl and skim off the excess fat.
8. Slice or tear the lamb into rough chunks and arrange on a warm platter. Spoon a little of the pan juices over the top and scatter with the raw red onion, cilantro, and dill.
9. Serve immediately with pomegranate seeds, the remaining pan juices on the side, and warm flatbread for scooping up the meat and juices.

Cook’s Notes

• If you have access to a backyard tandoor, kamado grill, or pizza oven, suspend the lamb from the lid and cook at around 200°C for about 1.5 hours for the most authentic result.
• A bone-in shoulder holds together far better than a boneless one and the bone adds deep flavor and natural basting during the long roast.
• Save the rendered lamb fat from the roasting pan to fry eggs or smear on flatbread, an Uzbek tradition known as kurdyuk.
• Leftover tandir gosht is excellent the next day shredded into plov or tucked into samsa-style hand pies.
• Grating the onions (rather than chopping) is essential: their juices become the body of the marinade and keep the meat exceptionally moist throughout the long cook.

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