Go Back
–+ servings
Baked lamb on a bed of white and yellow rice with roasted potatoes and toasted whole almonds and a sprinkling of parsley with a wooden handled serving spoon on a blue tiled background with a white and black striped tea towel at the side, a small bowl with chopped parsley and yellow rimmed plates with utensils on top.
4.91 from 10 ratings

Lamb Haneeth (Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder)

Yield: 8 Servings
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Total: 4 hours 20 minutes
Author: Amina Al-Saigh
Lamb Haneeth is a beloved Yemeni dish made with slow-roasted lamb marinated in an aromatic blend of spices. The tender, fall off the bone, meat is typically served with basmati rice.
Print Pin Recipe

Ingredients
 

For the Lamb

  • 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1½ teaspoon cumin
  • 1½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 1½ teaspoon coriander
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 5 teaspoons salt
  • 2½ kilogram lamb shoulder, bone in, fat trimmed, cleaned and washed

For the Vegetables

  • 10 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
  • 12 small potatoes, peeled, washed and halved (see notes)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 10 cardamom pods
  • 10 bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 7 cloves
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups water

For Serving

  • fresh pita bread
  • basmati rice, see notes for cooking method

Instructions
 

  • Note: If marinating overnight, you need to start this recipe the night before. If marinating for 4 hours, you need to start at 9 am for a 6 pm finish.
  • In a food processor blend together the onion, olive oil, cumin, turmeric, black pepper, coriander and salt until well blended and a thick paste forms.
  • To prepare the lamb shoulder, pat it dry with paper towel. If required, trim off any excess fat. Using a sharp knife, make deep slits (3-4 cm long) all over the shoulder. Massage the marinade into the shoulder, cover and refrigerate preferably overnight, or for at least 4 hours. You can skip marinating but the flavour is much better if you do marinate it longer.
  • The next day, remove the lamb shoulder 1 hour before baking. Preheat the oven to 350℉.
  • In a large dutch oven or a large baking dish (at least 7 cm deep), place the peeled garlic, potatoes, sliced onions, potatoes, salt, cardamom, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves and olive oil. Mix well. Place the marinated lamb shoulder on top of the vegetables and add the water on the bottom of the dish.
  • Cover the lamb well with parchment paper (it's okay if the paper touches the water/vegetables), then seal it with 2 layers of aluminum foil, securing all the edges tightly. Bake for 4 hours, until the lamb is tender and falls off the bone. Important: make sure you allow 5 hours for the bake time, as it may vary from 3 to 5 hours depending on your cut of lamb shoulder. Check on it a few hours in and add more water if the bottom of the tray is dry. Once tender, scoop some of the fat from the bottom of the tray and drizzle it over the lamb shoulder, then broil for 5 minutes or so until the top is browned nicely - keep an eye on it at all times.
  • Serve the lamb with a side of basmati rice (see notes) or warm fresh pita bread, or other vegetable sides or a salad.

Notes

  • Lamb Cooking Time: Cooking time may vary depending on the lamb cut and quality. Check for doneness after 3 hours but allow 4-5 hours of baking time, just in case you need more time.
  • To Serve with Rice: A delicious rice can be made with the lamb drippings. Simply scoop the drippings from the baking dish and add to a pot. Add 1/2 teaspoon of: cinnamon, clove, coriander, cardamom and turmeric (if you want yellow rice). Add 1 1/2 cups of liquid per cup of rice and bring the liquid to a boil. Add enough salt until the liquid tastes visibly salty, then add the basmati rice. Once the rice comes to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
  • Perfect Potatoes: I use small potatoes (not baby potatoes), peel them and cut in half. Smaller potatoes may overcook during the long bake time.
  • You can also serve with my Arabic rice or Mediterranean rice.
  • You can store your Lamb Haneeth leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
Serving: 1Serving, Calories: 659kcal, Carbohydrates: 53g, Protein: 46g, Fat: 30g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 18g, Cholesterol: 126mg, Sodium: 2050mg, Potassium: 1772mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 21IU, Vitamin C: 55mg, Calcium: 101mg, Iron: 7mg
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!