Best Lamb Recipes

Use savory lamb to make our hearty Salt Creek Grille Princeton Lamb Albondigas, Spanish meatballs, right in your own kitchen!

One night in 2006, as the executive chef of Marigold Kitchen, I was preparing a dinner at the James Beard House in New York. By the time we finished up, our crew was hungry and exhausted. We rolled into Momofuku Ssäm Bar around midnight, and several minutes later were presented with an entire slow-cooked pork shoulder, crackling on the outside and soft and juicy on the inside. With the familiarity of a kitchen team that had just worked a 14-hour shift, we devoured the whole thing.The Zahav Lamb Shoulder was born that night on the drive home. It was also possibly responsible for keeping me from falling asleep at the wheel. Next to our hummus, this is the dish that put Zahav on the map. We brine a whole lamb shoulder and smoke it over hardwood for a couple of hours. Then we braise it in pomegranate molasses until the meat is tender enough to eat with a spoon. Finally, the lamb shoulder is finished in a hot oven to crisp up the exterior. This dish is the best of all possible worlds — smoky and crispy, soft and tender, sweet and savory — and it’s a celebration all by itself. The use of pomegranate in this dish (and the crispy rice we serve with it) is very Persian, which is a cuisine with tradition so rich it always makes me think of palaces and royal banquets. The chickpeas recall the humble chamin, a traditional Sabbath stew that’s slow-baked overnight.Chickpeas, the underrated star of this dish, recall the humble chamin, a traditional Sabbath stew that’s slow-baked overnight. During the long braise, the lamb bones create a natural stock that is absorbed by the chickpeas, creating the richest, creamiest peas you’ve ever tasted. I’ve even made hummus with these chickpeas — totally decadent!Preparing the lamb shoulder is a two- or three-day process and thus requires some advance planning. We go through about sixty shoulders a week at the restaurant, and it’s still not enough. If you’ve ever been disappointed at Zahav, chances are it’s because we didn’t have a lamb shoulder for you. Now, you can make it for yourself.We smoke our lamb shoulders at Percy Street Barbecue. If you have a smoker, feel free to smoke the lamb. Or just roast the shoulder as the recipe indicates.From Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking, ©2015 by Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Cornmeal and fresh herbs lend a flavorful crunch to tender lamb loin in this easy recipe. For more delicious Easter Dinner Ideas, click here! From Easter menus and party ideas to the best Easter dinner,dessert, and cocktail recipes, we’ve got you covered. Find all this and more on The Daily Meal’s Easter Recipes & Menus Page.

Recipe Courtesy of Traeger Wood Fire Grills'Tender lamb roasted with onions and spices makes for a hearty and flavorful dish to keep warm on any cold evening.

Spring grilling wouldn’t be complete without a great lamb recipe.  And when I think of flavoring lamb, I always stick with light, bright tastes.  Good olive oil, fresh rosemary, lemons, a little red wine and not much more.  I tend to cook my lamb hot and fast, providing guests with the bite of a quick char and the richness of a medium rare interior. Click here for more Grilled Easter Recipes From Easter menus and party ideas to the best Easter dinner, dessert, and cocktail recipes, we’ve got you covered. Find all this and more on The Daily Meal’s Easter Recipes & Menus Page.