Smoked Lamb Shoulder Recipe

A smoked lamb shoulder cooking on the grill

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4.50 from 6 votes

Smoked Lamb Shoulder Recipe

How to smoke a lamb shoulder and what to do with it after it's cooked.

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Resting Time30

Total Time10 45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: barbecue, bbq, grilling

Keyword: lamb shoulder recipe, pulled lamb, smoked lamb shoulder

Servings: servings

Author: Mary Cressler

Cost: $40.00

Equipment

Butcher Twine

Ingredients

For the Smoked Lamb Shoulder:

5 pound lamb shoulder (We recommend boneless)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup Ultimate Dry Rub

For the Spritz:

½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup apple juice

Instructions

Pre-heat Smoker: Prepare your smoker targeting 250 degrees Fahrenheit (F) using fruit wood, like apple or cherry. Alternatively oak or hickory are good options. We find mesquite a little too smoky for lamb.
Prep Lamb: Start by removing the butcher twine. Lay the meat out flat on a sheet pan. Next, trim away any excess fat on both sides of the shoulder or cartilage using a good quality filet or boning knife. Coat both sides of the lamb with olive oil and dry rub. Tie the meat back up again with more butcher twine tightly so it’s one uniform roast as you put it on your smoker.
Smoke: Place the lamb shoulder on the smoker and insert an instant-read Bluetooth thermometer, like the Thermoworks Smoke Unit, to monitor the internal temperature. Smoke for three hours. In this phase, the lamb will start to turn red and develop a bark.
Spritz: After the first three hours, start to spray the shoulder with the spritz. The spritz adds some moisture to the lamb and helps the smoke molecules to stick to the meat. Make sure to use a food-safe spray bottle for this.
Wrap: After spritzing for two to three hours (five to six hours total) the internal temperature of the shoulder should be at, or around, 165 - 170 degrees Fahrenheit. At this point, wrap the shoulder in butcher paper or aluminum foil and place it back into the smoker to finish cooking.
Place the thermometer probes back into the shoulder and continue smoking until the internal temperature of the lamb reaches 200 – 205 degrees F. You know it’s done when somewhere in that range an instant-read thermometer can probe the meat with no resistance, much like the feeling of room temperature butter.
Remove and Rest: Remove the roast and then let it rest for 30 minutes, then pull the meat.

Notes

Buying: Consider a boneless lamb shoulder. Be sure you have butcher twine at home.

Pulling: Using two large forks, or a pulled pork shredding tool, gently pull at the edges of the shoulder. If you pulled while probe tender, the meat should easily come off. As you shred, remove any cartilage or leftover fat pockets and discard.

Chef’s Note: If the lamb is done earlier than you wish to serve, then store the lamb wrapped (not pulled) in a cooler with no ice for up to four hours. This will hold the temperature until ready to pull and serve.

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