How to cook the perfect roast lamb, according to Michelin-starred chef Marcus Wareing

What’s your favourite meat? It’s lamb, isn’t it? Pricier than pork and richer than beef, the lamb roast dinner is the pinnacle of luxury Sunday feasting. But, if you’ve attempted to cook this Easter classic in years gone by, you’ll know that it’s a tricky meat to get right. However, like rolling out the marzipan for your Simnel cake or perfectly buttering a hot cross bun, it’s one of the kitchen skills that the spring festive season hinges on.

So let’s get it right. You don’t want any bone-dry meat or light charring marring the Easter Sunday dining table. And that’s why we’ve teamed up with one of Britain’s best chefs to ensure that your lamb roast gets mouths sufficiently watering this weekend. Marcus Wareing’s Michelin stars speak for themselves, and his impact on the restaurant industry is immeasurable. So listen up.

“Salt-baking lamb shoulder is one of my favourite ways to cook it,” Wareing reveals. “The high fat content in the shoulder means that it renders slowly throughout the salt-baking process and ensures the meat retains a wonderful moist texture. The herbs in the dough also gently scent the lamb, enhancing its flavour even further.”

So roll up your sleeves, sling on your apron and fire up the oven. And follow, word-for-word, Wareing’s step-by-step recipe below.

For the salt dough:

• 100g rock salt
• 200g plain flour
• Chopped herbs (advised: 2 tablespoons of chopped rosemary, 2 bay leaves, finely chopped, and 2 tbsp thyme leaves)

For the lamb:

• 1 shoulder of lamb, bone in (approx. 1.8kg)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 carrots, quartered
• 1 leek, white part only, quartered
• 1 garlic bulb, halved horizontally
• 100ml Madeira wine 200ml white wine
• 6 sprigs of rosemary
• 500ml lamb stock

1. To make the salt dough, combine all the ingredients in a bowl with 200ml cold water (enough to bind the mixture). Knead until well combined. Roll out the dough on a sheet of baking parchment to a size large enough to enclose the entire shoulder of lamb. Place the shoulder on top and wrap the salt dough around it until it is completely enclosed. Place the dough-wrapped lamb in a large roasting tray and bake for 3 ½ hours.

2. While the lamb is cooking, make the lamb sauce. Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium high-heat, add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic and cook for 7-10 minutes, until browned. Add the Madeira and white wine, bring to the boil, then simmer rapidly for about 15minutes until the liquid becomes a syrup. Add the rosemary and lamb stock and simmer gently for 40 minutes.

Strain through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan. Bring to a simmer and reduce until it has the consistency of single cream. Season to taste and remove from the heat until the lamb is cooked.

3. Remove the lamb from the oven and allow it to cool in the dough for 5 minutes, then carefully remove and discard the dough, using a knife to prise it off. Cover the lamb shoulder with foil and let it rest for a further 10 minutes before carving.

4. Serve with the sauce, as well as new potatoes, peas and roasted carrots, if you wish.

Looking for more food inspiration? These are the perfect wine pairings for your roast dinner…

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