Make the most of your air fryer with this fast roasted Half Lamb Shoulder recipe. I’ve even included instructions to make a delicious gravy using the drippings and meat juices. Ever versatile and wonderfully succulent, shoulder of lamb is beautiful cooked quickly – it’s ready to serve in just under an hour!
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Lamb often feels a little more a treat than chicken, lamb or beef when cooking a roast dinner. Usually because it is more expensive. But around Easter when the shops have lots of offers on or when it is truly in season a little later in the year, it can often be found at discounted prices. This is when I stock up my freezer!
I love lamb ribs and lamb leg steaks but I’ve started cooking smaller joints like this half shoulder or half leg more and more. They do work out more economical and I can make several meals with the meat. The air fryer is also a game changer for cooking smaller roasts.
I do find the half shoulder of lamb a little easier to carve than a half or even full lamb leg so this might be worth bearing in mind if choosing between them.
Air Fryer Half Lamb Leg
As an alternative to the half shoulder, you can also try the half shoulder joint.
Air Fryer Half Leg of Lamb (Fast Roast Recipe)
How to Serve
A roasted shoulder of lamb is always going to make a fabulous centrepiece to a roast dinner. In the photos on this page, I’ve served my lamb and the delicious gravy made from the pan drippings with the following:
- Air fried sweet potatoes
- Simply boiled white cabbage
- Steamed broccoli
- Air fried cauliflower
- Cheesy leeks
- Redcurrant jelly
I also cook lamb to serve in various other ways. I might slice and stir fry with teriyaki sauce and serve with sticky rice and chilli edamame beans. Or I’ll more often than not take things in a more middle eastern inspired direction. Try mixing and matching with some of these recipes:
- Super smooth hummus
- Lemony couscous
- Griddled courgettes and/or peppers
- Aubergine with pomegranate molasses
- Flatbreads
- Tahini yogurt dressing
For something totally different and a great way to use up leftovers, check out my Leftover Roast Dinner Pizza. It is glorious made with roast lamb!
Ingredients
Lamb
A “shoulder of lamb” or “lamb shoulder roast” is really a very self-explanatory term for the cut of meat we are using here.
I’ve chosen to use a half shoulder as this is a really common and more economical cut for smaller families and crowds. Plus it is actually going to fit in an air fryer comfortably. It might be that you can fit a whole shoulder in but you do need to make sure there is still plenty of room for the air to circulate around.
It is important to note that the times and temperatures given are for a bone-in half shoulder. You can also buy boneless shoulder joints but they will require a slightly different treatment.
Oil
You can use pretty much any fat or oil you choose here although I would avoid butter as it will likely burn. I just use vegetable oil or olive oil. Only a little is needed as the oil is mostly there to stop the outside of the lamb from drying out and to help the seasoning stick to the meat.
Seasoning
I have purely used salt to season the lamb shoulder joint. I use Maldon sea salt flakes as the flavour is mild and the flakes are lovely and soft. If you are using free running table salt, halve the amount given in the recipe.
You can add other spice rubs, chopped herbs and seasonings as you see fit. I often cook lamb to accompany middle eastern type feasts where I’ll use garlic salt, Aleppo pepper and lemon, or a za’atar spice blend. Garlic and rosemary is of course another traditional flavour pairing with lamb.
Cornflour
Cornflour is also known as corn-starch and is used as a thickening agent. I use this to thicken the very simple gravy. You must make sure to follow the instructions to mix the cornflour with water before adding to the boiling liquids. If you add the powder, it will simply clump and thicken nothing.
Cornflour can be temperamental and how much it decides to thicken varies wildly depending on which way the wind is blowing. If the gravy doesn’t thicken as much as you would like, simply add more. It if gets too thick, add a little more water.
Water/Stock
I’ve used just water to make the gravy. The fat, drippings and crispy bits from the bottom of the air fryer basket are usually enough to make a very flavourful lamb gravy.
But if you want to add an extra kick, you can use a stock. Homemade will always be best and the pouches/cans/containers from the fridge section of the supermarket are a good second. I would try to avoid stock cubes/pots/powders or just use a small amount. A whole stock cube or pot would overpower the amount of gravy in this recipe.
Lamb is the best stock but chicken would be the next best option.
Allergen Information
This recipe is free from egg, dairy, gluten and nuts.
Please note that this recipe may contain other allergens not referred to above and any variations suggested have not been tested unless otherwise stated. For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.
How Long to Air Fry 1/2 Lamb Shoulder
The exact amount of time you cook the half lamb shoulder joint will depend on how you like it cooked. These are my suggested timings:
- Medium (pink) – 40 minutes
- Medium-well (some pale pink) – 45 minutes
- Well-done (no pink) – 50 minutes
I really wouldn’t recommend cooking a shoulder of lamb less well than medium. The fats and connective tissues do not have opportunity enough to break down and become edible.
Regardless of the cooking time you choose, the meat will need to be turned roughly midway through the cooking time. It doesn’t matter which way you start or finish.
I suggest taking this opportunity to pour out any fat/meat juices that have collected on the bottom of the air fryer basket. This prevents them from browning as the meat continues to cook. As these drippings are used to flavour the gravy, I don’t like to risk making it taste bitter.
Resting Air Fried Half Lamb Shoulder
It is very important to rest the meat after cooking. This allows the meat to relax after the shock of being cooked (physically, not emotionally). This will mean that the meat is a more even colour throughout and will be tender to eat.
To rest the lamb, I wrap it in a couple of layers of foil and leave it somewhere warm. This is the perfect opportunity to make the gravy and finish off any side dishes you are serving with it.
I recommend resting for at least 10 or ideally, 15 minutes. If you are going to need to rest for longer, cover with a couple of tea towels or even consider using the keep warm function on your air fryer if you have one (still wrapped in the foil).
Once you unwrap the lamb to carve it, make sure to save the juices that have collected in the bottom of the foil and add this to the gravy. Or pour over the sliced meat.
How to Air Fry Half Shoulder of Lamb From Frozen
I do not recommend cooking a roasting joint from frozen. I find that it is near impossible to get anything like an even level of doneness when fast roasting.
Leftovers – Storage & Reheating
It is much easier to carve meat from the bone while the meat is still warm. There isn’t a tonne of meat on a half shoulder so it is worth carving the whole thing once it is cooked and well rested.
The sliced meat can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for a couple of days. If you need to keep for longer, it will also freeze.
It is very easy to dry out roasted meats when reheating so to combat this, I often reheat in the microwave using a plate, a few drops of water and cling film over the plate. This is effectively steaming the meat. Lay the slices out and it will only need a minute or two to be piping hot but still lovely and moist.
To reheat in the air fryer, you can wrap the sliced lamb in foil with a tiny bit of water and then cook for around 5 minutes. Again you need to make sure it is piping hot. The timing will really depend on how much you are trying to reheat at once.
Common Air Fryer Questions – A Brief Guide to Air Frying
- What exactly is an air fryer?
- What are the benefits of using an air fryer?
- Are all air fryers the same?
- Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
- Do air fryers need to be pre-heated?
- What is the best temperature to air fry at?
- What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
- Can food be cooked from frozen in an air fryer?
- Can I reheat food in an air fryer?
- Are air fryer liners a good idea?
The Air Fried Feast Community
Come on over to Facebook and join my community discussing all things air fryer. Get involved in sharing your experiences and trials, help out others and find out what wonderful things everyone is cooking in their air fryers!
What Exactly is an Air Fryer?
Very simply, an air fryer is a small convection (fan) oven. The benefit is that the hot air is circulated all around the food being cooked which speeds up the cooking time and cooks the food more evenly.
What are the Benefits of Using an Air Fryer?
Size, time and energy usage. Air fryers are ideal for cooking smaller quantities. Heating up a space that the food just fits into requires less energy and means that the heat source is much closer to the food. Combining these two things can speed up the cooking time.
Are all air fryers the same?
Nope! The term air fryer is now used very broadly. I consider there to be 4 main types:
Basket Air Fryers
These are what I would consider to be the most common, especially in the UK. A boxy type unit has a pull out drawer/basket. Food isn’t usually visible whilst cooking.
Some larger models have two drawers so different items can be cooked at different temperatures or for different times.
This is the type that you’ll see in the images in this recipe. I mostly use a Cosori Lite 3.8L (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal. It isn’t an overly expensive or fancy model.
I’ve also recommended to several friends and family the model with a slightly larger basket. This is the Cosori 4.7L (CAF-L501) with a 4.7 litre basket. The unit is no larger than the 3.8 litre model on the outside but does have a larger internal basket capacity. I’ve since bought this version to use for some recipes where my smaller model was just too small. I’ll always note this in the recipe.
Rotary Air Fryers
Round air fryers with a paddle in the centre that rotates to move the food. This is the type I used for years – the most common is a Tefal Actifry.
Rotary types are not usually good for recipes where the food is breaded, glazed, likely to break up or in a tray/container. They do however make the best chips and roasted veg.
My 2 in 1 version like the one I’ve linked also has a rotating tray for things that could be broken up by a paddle, but the height clearance with the lid isn’t deep enough to use it to cook some items like sausage rolls. I’ve now actually retired by Actifry in favour of having my two basket type fryers.
Mini Oven Air Fryers
These usually have a glass door, shelves and overall are really quite large. You can cook quite a decent quantity of food in them so are best if regularly cooking for multiple people. They often come with extra features like a rotisserie spit or kebab skewers.
Multicookers with Air Fryer Functions
Some like Ninja 11 in 1 and some of the earlier versions with a few less functions, have an air fryer option. They mostly operate the same as a basket fryer but the basket drops in the top rather than sliding in like a drawer.
Some electric pressure cookers like Instant Pots can also air fry when used with a specific lid.
Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
As much as I do love air frying, the honest answer to this is no. And the more detailed answer is that it will always depend on what you’re cooking, how much of it you’re cooking and what type and size of air fryer you have.
Once you need to cook in more than 2 batches, it often makes more sense to use an oven. If you already have the oven on to cook other items, it may make more sense to throw one more item in rather than using an additional appliance.
I don’t think either method is often necessarily better than the other. The important point to note is that there is absolutely no difference in the finished product.
Do Air Fryers Need to Be Pre-Heated?
The answer to this is rather annoying – it depends. It depends entirely on your model and type of air fryer. The best advice I can offer is to check your manual and follow their guidance. My Cosori models have a preheat function. I press a button and it heats at 205c/400f for 4 minutes.
It’s also worth noting that regardless of whether you are supposed to pre-heat or not, if you are cooking in batches, it is quite likely that anything after the first batch will cook a little quicker because of the retained heat. It is best to check on them before the cooking time is completed.
What is the best temperature to Air Fry at?
It will always depend on what you are cooking and from what state. All of my air fryer recipes don’t use temperatures above 200c/390f because many of the most common fryers in the UK don’t go above this. Mine goes to 230c/450f and I use this temperature a lot but it is no help for me to share recipes which many people can’t use.
What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
Not all air fryers have different settings like this. When they do it usually relates to the fan speed. The default setting to use will always be “air fry” so unless something else is specifically stated in the recipe, always use the air fry option.
There are other air fryers that have an additional heating element which cooks from underneath rather than just the top. Just as with the other settings, unless you are using a recipe which states to use a second heating element, stick with just using the top down air fry option.
Of course if and when you become more confident with air frying, using recipes and the settings of your air fryer, you can start adapting them to suit.
Can Food Be Cooked From Frozen In An Air Fryer?
Absolutely! To cook from frozen you usually will need to reduce the cooking temperature and increase the time to make sure your food is cooked right through to the middle.
It is best to check my individual recipes for cooking from frozen advice as some items are a little different. And there are occasionally exceptions to the rule.
Can I Reheat Food In An Air Fryer?
Yes. As a general rule I reheat food for roughly 1/3 of the original cooking time at the same temperature. Or at 10 degrees lower for half the time for larger items.
Are Air Fryer Liners a Good Idea?
Unless otherwise stated, I do not use liners when air frying. Basket and rotary type air fryers are designed to be used without liners. Mini oven types will generally require some kind of tray like with a regular large oven although most come with crisper racks to use.
There are many air fryer liners available including quite thick silicone ones. These will affect the cooking times and possibly temperatures of your cooking/baking. I also don’t like how cooking juices are prevented from dripping through the basket rack. This can stop food from crisping all the way around.
When I do want to collect the juices, I mostly use some foil, or occasionally a foil tray which can be washed and reused.
If you do prefer to use them, once you have got a feel for how they affect your cooking and baking, you may need to make adjustments to the recipe accordingly.
More Air Fryer Recipes
All my recipes with instructions for how to cook or bake them in the air fryer can be found in my Air Fryer Recipe Index.
Don’t forget to let me know in the comments if you try making this recipe – I want to know what you think and if you made any substitutions, how did it turn out?
Still Have Questions?
Simple! Just contact me and I will do my best to help as quickly as I am able. Head over to my Contact Me page, any of my social media channels or post a comment at the bottom of this page and I’ll see what I can do.
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The Recipe
Air Fryer Half Lamb Shoulder (Fast Roast Recipe)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.1 kg Half Shoulder of Lamb
- 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1 tbsp Sea Salt Flakes
For the gravy
- 300 ml Water
- 3 tbsp Cornflour (Cornstarch)
- 3 tbsp Water
- Sea Salt Flakes
Instructions
- If your air fryer requires pre-heating, start this setting now.
- Thoroughly dry a 1.1kg Half Shoulder of Lamb .
- Drizzle the underside of the lamb with roughly 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil and ½ tbsp Sea Salt Flakes. Rub into the lamb so it is evenly distributed.
- Turn the joint back over and repeat with a further 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil and ½ tbsp Sea Salt Flakes. Don't miss all the sides.
- Place the lamb into the air fryer basket. If it is a preheated basket, use 2 forks or tongs to lower the meat in so you don't touch the hot metal with your hands.
- Air fry for 20 minutes at 190℃/375℉.
- Remove the lamb from the air fryer as well as the crisper tray. Pour all the juices/fat into a small bowl.
- Return the crisper tray and lamb back to the air fryer basket. Place the lamb upside down to finish cooking.
- Air fry for a further 20 minutes at 190℃/375℉ for medium. Add 5 minutes for medium-well and a further 5 for well done.
- Take the lamb out the air fryer and wrap well in foil.
- Remove the plate again and tip the rest of the juices into the bowl with the rest. Use a silicone spatula to make sure you get all the goodness. Scrape and tasty bits off the crisper plate too.
- Allow the lamb to rest for at least 10, but ideally 15 minutes. Use this time to make the gravy.
- Don't forget to add any juices from the resting period to the reserved juices/fat or gravy if its already made.
- Carve into thick or thin slices as preferred and serve. You will have to carve around the bone to make sure you get all of the meat.
To Make The Lamb Gravy
- If there is a lot of lamb fat vs juices, remove some of the fat and discard or save this for another time.
- Tip all of the drained lamb juices and some fat into small saucepan and start heating over a high heat.
- Add 300ml Water to the pan. Freshly boiled from the kettle will speed up the process.
- Mix 3 tbsp Cornflour with roughly 3 tbsp Water until all the cornflour has dissolved.
- Once the juices and water have come to the boil, add the cornflour slurry with one hand while whisking with the other.
- Continue to boil until the gravy is thickened. If after a few minutes, it is not thick enough for your liking, make up and add more cornflour slurry – add a little at a time. If it is thicker than you would like, add a little water at a time.
- Taste the gravy and add Sea Salt Flakes a little at a time until the gravy is flavoursome. Don't be shy, salt is your friend with gravy.
- Serve with the sliced lamb.
Notes
- The air fryer version of this recipe is tested in my Cosori Lite 3.8L (CAF-LI401S) which has a square(ish) shaped basket of 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal. The depth of the basket is more of an important consideration in this case.
- Not all models advise preheating is required. Please follow the recommended instructions for your model. Mine has a specific preheat setting which is 4 minutes at 205c.
- For this recipe, I could easily fit a 1.1kg/2.5lb shoulder of lamb in the basket. This gives plenty of room to allow air to circulate. It did very nearly expand to be too tall for the basket so this is something to bear in mind.
- As all air fryer models are a little different, you may find that you can fit more or less in at a time.
- Required cooking times and temperatures can also vary between models and brands. If you know that your air fryer runs a little hotter than most recipes suggest, use a lower temperature. And vice versa. Equally if you find that food cooks more quickly in your machine than instructions usually state, reduce the cooking time (or check it earlier) and vice versa.
Sisley says
The more I find out I can make in the air fryer the more I love it. Roast lamb was 10/10!
Lesley says
This made the perfect Sunday lunch yesterday, I also made your easy gravy and it was delicious with a bit of mint sauce.
Dave says
This was just perfect for us with plenty left over to make Shepherd’s Pie! So easy to make and so quick.