Slow-Roasted Lamb Shawarma with Yogurt, Cardamom and Baharat

Name: Slow-Roasted Lamb Shawarma with Yogurt, Cardamom and Baharat
Prep time: 1 h 8 min
Cook time: 3 h 15 min
Total time: 4 h 23 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 3½ lb (1600 g) boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed of thick fat, leaving a ¼-inch (6 mm) layer, then cut into 3–4 even chunks about 4 inches (10 cm) across; 1 cup (245 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, cold from the fridge is fine; 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 6 large cloves (30 g) garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated; 1 tbsp (6 g) lemon zest, finely grated from 1 large lemon, before juicing; 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained; 2 tbsp (14 g) baharat spice blend; 1 tbsp (7 g) ground cumin; 1 tsp (2 g) ground cardamom; 1 tsp (2 g) freshly ground black pepper; 4 tsp (12 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; 2 large (400 g) large yellow onions, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) thick rings; ½ cup (120 ml) water; ⅓ cup (80 g) tahini, stirred well before measuring; 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained; 1 small clove (3 g) small garlic clove, finely grated; ¼ cup (60 ml) ice-cold water, plus more to thin if needed; ¼ tsp (1½ g) kosher salt, adjust to taste; 8 rounds (480 g) pita breads, 7-inch (18 cm) rounds, warmed (about 60 g each); 3 medium (360 g) ripe medium tomatoes, cored and thinly sliced; 4 small (250 g) small Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced into rounds; ½ cup (20 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, loosely packed, roughly chopped

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Boneless lamb shoulder spends a night in a tangy yogurt marinade scented with baharat, cumin, cardamom, garlic and lemon, then roasts low and slow over onions until fork-tender. A short blast of high heat crisps the edges, and you slice or shred it into warm pita with tahini sauce, tomato, cucumber and parsley.

Prep: 1 hr 8 min
Cook: 3 hr 15 min
Wait: 13 hr 5 min
Total: 17 hr 28 min
Makes: 8 generous pita sandwiches (about 1.2 kg / 2½ lb cooked lamb)

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the lamb
3½ lb (1600 g) boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed of thick fat, leaving a ¼-inch (6 mm) layer, then cut into 3–4 even chunks about 4 inches (10 cm) across
1 cup (245 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, cold from the fridge is fine
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
6 large cloves (30 g) garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated
1 tbsp (6 g) lemon zest, finely grated from 1 large lemon, before juicing
3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained
2 tbsp (14 g) baharat spice blend
1 tbsp (7 g) ground cumin
1 tsp (2 g) ground cardamom
1 tsp (2 g) freshly ground black pepper
4 tsp (12 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt
For roasting
2 large (400 g) large yellow onions, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) thick rings
½ cup (120 ml) water
For the tahini sauce
⅓ cup (80 g) tahini, stirred well before measuring
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained
1 small clove (3 g) small garlic clove, finely grated
¼ cup (60 ml) ice-cold water, plus more to thin if needed
¼ tsp (1.5 g) kosher salt, adjust to taste
To serve
8 rounds (480 g) pita breads, 7-inch (18 cm) rounds, warmed (about 60 g each)
3 medium (360 g) ripe medium tomatoes, cored and thinly sliced
4 small (250 g) small Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced into rounds
½ cup (20 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, loosely packed, roughly chopped

Equipment (8)

5½–6-quart (5–5.5 L) Dutch oven with tight-fitting lid
Large mixing bowl
Microplane or fine grater (for garlic and zest)
Sharp chef's knife and cutting board
Instant-read thermometer
Two forks or tongs (for shredding)
Small bowl and whisk (for tahini sauce)
Large skillet or a second baking sheet (for warming pita)

Steps

Before you start

Plan ahead: the lamb needs at least 12 hours (up to 24) in the marinade, so start the evening before or the morning before.
Ask your butcher for boneless lamb shoulder, or buy a 4.5 lb (2 kg) bone-in shoulder and cut the meat off the bone yourself. Save the bone to roast with the lamb for extra flavor.
Use a Dutch oven with a tight lid. If you only have a roasting pan, cover it tightly with two layers of foil.
This recipe uses Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you use Morton kosher salt, use 3 teaspoons (about 12 g). If you use fine table salt, use 2 teaspoons (about 12 g).

1
Mix the marinade
- In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, grated garlic, lemon zest, 3 tablespoons (45 ml) lemon juice, baharat, cumin, cardamom, black pepper and the 4 teaspoons kosher salt.
- Whisk for about 30 seconds until it forms a thick, evenly speckled paste with no dry pockets of spice.
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Ready when: The marinade is smooth, thick and uniformly brown-gold with no streaks of plain yogurt.
Tip: Zest the lemon before you juice it. Zesting a squeezed lemon is much harder.
2
Coat and marinate lamb
- Pat the lamb chunks dry with paper towels.
- With a sharp knife, make shallow cuts about ¼ inch (6 mm) deep, spaced 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart, across the surface of each piece.
- Add the lamb to the marinade and turn and massage until every surface and cut is thickly coated.
- Cover the bowl tightly (or transfer to a zip-top bag, pressing out the air) and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.
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Ready when: Each chunk is completely coated in a thick layer of marinade, including inside the scores.
Tip: Do not marinate longer than 24 hours. The acid can make the surface of the meat mushy.
3
Rest and preheatOven 300°F / 150°C
- Remove the bowl from the fridge and let the lamb sit at room temperature for 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 300°F (150°C).
- Peel the onions and cut them into ½-inch (1.25 cm) rings.
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Ready when: The lamb no longer feels cold to the touch and the oven has reached 300°F (150°C).
Tip: Use an oven thermometer if you can. Many ovens run hot, and a hotter oven will dry out the lamb.
4
Assemble and slow roastOven 300°F / 150°C
- Scatter the onion rings in an even layer across the bottom of the Dutch oven and pour in the ½ cup (120 ml) water.
- Lay the lamb pieces on top in a single layer, scraping all of the remaining marinade over them.
- Cover with the lid and roast at 300°F (150°C) for 3 hours without opening the oven.
- Then test: the lamb should be completely tender, and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest piece should read 195–203°F (90–95°C).
- If a fork still meets resistance, re-cover and roast up to 45 minutes longer.
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Ready when: A fork slides in and twists the meat apart with almost no resistance; thermometer reads 195–203°F (90–95°C). The onions are soft and the pan holds a loose, spiced juice.
Tip: Keep the lid on. Opening the oven repeatedly lets out steam and adds time.
5
Make sauce and toppings
- While the lamb roasts, make the sauce.
- In a small bowl, whisk the tahini, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice, grated small garlic clove and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- The mixture will first seize into a thick paste.
- Keep whisking while you add the ¼ cup (60 ml) ice-cold water 1 tablespoon at a time until the sauce is smooth, pale and pourable like heavy cream.
- Add a splash more water if it is too thick.
- Taste and add salt if needed.
- Slice the tomatoes and cucumbers, chop the parsley, and refrigerate everything until serving.
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Ready when: The tahini sauce is smooth, creamy and pale, and it drizzles off a spoon in a ribbon.
Tip: The sauce thickens as it sits, so loosen it with a teaspoon of cold water before serving.
6
Crisp the lambOven 425°F / 220°C
- Raise the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C).
- Remove the lid and baste the lamb with some of the pan juices.
- Return the uncovered pot to the oven for 15 minutes, until the tops are deeply browned with darker, crisp edges.
- If the pan looks dry, add 2 tablespoons of water to the onions.
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Ready when: The surface is deep mahogany brown with crisp, slightly charred edges, and the pan juices are bubbling.
Tip: Watch closely after 10 minutes. The yogurt-based coating goes from browned to burnt quickly.
7
Rest the lamb
- Remove the pot from the oven and let the lamb rest, uncovered, in the pan juices for 20 minutes.
- The meat will reabsorb moisture and will be easier to handle.
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Ready when: The lamb is warm, not steaming hot, and can be touched comfortably with tongs.
8
Slice or shred
- Transfer the lamb to a cutting board.
- For classic shawarma, slice each piece against the grain into thin ¼-inch (6 mm) slices; the meat is very tender, so use a sharp knife and a gentle sawing motion.
- For a looser texture, pull it apart with two forks into bite-size strands.
- Return the meat to the pot and toss it with the soft onions and pan juices.
- Taste and add a pinch of salt or a squeeze of lemon if you like.
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Ready when: The lamb is in thin slices or shreds, glistening with pan juices, with some crisp browned edges mixed through.
Tip: Slicing across the grain keeps the slices from falling apart into long stringy pieces.
9
Warm pita and serve
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
- Warm each pita for about 30 seconds per side until soft, puffy and flecked with a few light brown spots.
- Stack the pitas in a clean towel to keep them warm.
- To serve, spread each pita with tahini sauce, pile on the lamb and onions, then add tomatoes, cucumbers and parsley.
- Drizzle with more sauce and a spoonful of the pan juices, then fold or roll and serve right away.
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Ready when: Pitas are soft, pliable and puffed, with light brown spots, and bend without cracking.
Tip: Do not overheat the pita or it will dry out and crack when you fold it.

Good to know

Tips

Trim hard, thick fat but leave a thin layer. It bastes the meat and gives you crisp bits at the end.
Judge doneness by feel and temperature, not just the clock. Shoulder needs to reach about 195–203°F (90–95°C) to turn tender. Lower temperatures will give tough, chewy meat.
Spoon the onion-and-juice mixture over the sliced lamb. It keeps the meat moist and adds a lot of flavor.
For extra crispy edges, finish slices in a hot cast-iron skillet for 1–2 minutes before serving.

Make ahead

Marinate the lamb up to 24 hours ahead. You can also fully roast it (through step 4) up to 2 days ahead: cool it in its juices, refrigerate, then reheat covered at 325°F (160°C) for 25–30 minutes and finish with the 425°F (220°C) crisping step. The tahini sauce keeps for 4 days in the fridge.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: store cooked lamb with its juices in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze lamb with juices for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat: warm in a covered skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water or in a covered dish at 325°F (160°C) for 15–20 minutes, until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C), then crisp briefly in a hot skillet if desired. Tahini sauce keeps 4 days in the fridge; thin with cold water before using.

Substitutions

baharat spice blend → 1 tbsp ground allspice + 1 tsp ground cinnamon + 1 tsp ground coriander + ½ tsp ground nutmeg + ½ tsp ground cloves. Approximates the warm, sweet-peppery profile of baharat; mix to make about 2 tbsp total.
boneless lamb shoulder → 4.5 lb (2 kg) bone-in lamb shoulder, or boneless leg of lamb. Bone-in needs 30–45 minutes more roasting. Leg is leaner, so check for tenderness earlier and keep the lid on.
plain whole-milk Greek yogurt → Plain whole-milk yogurt (not Greek), strained for 30 minutes, or labneh thinned with 2 tbsp water. Avoid low-fat yogurt, which can split and turn watery during roasting.
pita breads, 7-inch (18 cm) rounds → Lavash or flatbread, or serve over rice. Warm flatbreads just before serving so they stay flexible.