What is Lamb Shoulder with Chimichurri Sauce?
– Lamb meat marinated for 24 hours in a rich red wine infusion, then roasted until juicy, served with rich Latin American Chimichurri sauce.
Recipe Intro
My first encounter with Chimichurri sauce was at a renowned London restaurant, the famous Gaucho, where they serve fantastic Argentinean beef paired with this delicious sauce. It has since become a staple on my menu, and besides beef, I enjoy serving it with lamb roast and even fish!
Chimichurri is incredibly simple to make – no cooking required! Just blend or mix the ingredients together and serve!
Essential Ingredients and Substitutes
For the marinade:
- red wine – any red wine will do
- balsamic vinegar – if you don’t have it, use 1-2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar mixed with 1 tbsp of brown sugar
- garlic – lots and lots 🙂 When it comes to lamb, you can never have too much garlic!
- rosemary – instead of rosemary, you can use mint or thyme
- chilli – either fresh or dry flakes
- peppers – don’t skip them in the marinade! They add sweetness!
For the Chimichurri sauce:
- parsley – only use fresh parsley leaves
- olive oil – the best option is unfiltered extra virgin olive oil. Do not substitute it for any other type of oil
- balsamic vinegar – while the traditional recipe calls for red wine vinegar, I’ve replaced it with balsamic for a sweeter note and less intense. It is absolutely delicious!
- red pepper – In some regional versions, sweet pepper is a traditional ingredient. I also used it for its taste and to enhance the dish’s colour.
- fresh chilli – add a small amount for a hint of spice, or increase the quantity if you prefer it hotter! Alternatively, you can use chilli flakes instead of fresh chilli
Chimichurri Sauce
This classic recipe has been improved for a more delicious taste. Instead of red wine vinegar, I’ve used balsamic vinegar, giving it a slightly less tangy but sweeter flavour. Also, I’ve added finely chopped sweet red pepper alongside fresh red chillies.
Note:
Feel free to customize the spice level and garlic quantity in this Chimichurri sauce recipe to suit your taste preferences.
If you prefer a milder sauce, reduce the amount of red chilli flakes or omit them entirely. For those who enjoy a bit more heat, feel free to increase the quantity of chilli.
Similarly, adjust the amount of garlic according to your preference. While garlic adds a rich flavour to the sauce, if you’re not particularly fond of garlic, you can use less than the stated amount. On the other hand, if you’re a garlic enthusiast, feel free to add extra cloves for an extra punch of flavour. Cooking is all about personalization, so make this Chimichurri sauce your own by tweaking the ingredients to your liking!
How to prepare Lamb Shoulder and Chimichurri Sauce
To make a marinade that deeply infuses the meat, put all the ingredients into a blender and give them a quick blitz. You can either season the marinade or season the meat directly. Then, place the meat into a large shallow dish and pour over the marinade. Cover it with cling film and leave it to marinate for 24 hours.
The next day, remove the meat from the marinade and place it on a roasting dish with the skin facing up. Discard the marinade. Preheat the oven to 180°C and roast the lamb for 40 minutes, covering it with foil. For every 500 grams, roast for about 20 minutes. During the last 10 minutes, remove the foil to achieve a golden brown crust. Once the lamb is done, take it out of the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes before slicing.
For the sauce: You can blend all the ingredients into a smooth sauce or finely chop all the veg and mix them with the liquid ingredients. It’s entirely up to your preference whether you prefer a smooth sauce or one with bits of parsley, peppers, and chilli.
This sauce is meant to be eaten raw, so avoid heating it up or frying it.
How to serve Lamb Roast and Chimichurri Sauce
To serve the sauce, simply pour some over hot lamb slices. Provide extra sauce on the side for those who want to drizzle more over their meat.
It’s also perfect for drizzling over grilled vegetables or a fresh salad of your choice.
Recipe Card
Lamb Shoulder with Chimichurri Sauce
Ingredients
- 750 g lamb shoulder
Marinade
- 200 ml red wine
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pepper
- 100 ml olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2-3 sprigs rosemary
- 1/2 sweet pepper
- 2 chili peppers - optional
Chimichurri sauce
- 100 ml olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 6-8 tbsp fresh parsley leaves
- 1 tsp oregano
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp chili pepper
- 1 tbsp sweet red pepper - finely chopped
- salt, pepper - to taste
Instructions
Lamb Marinade
- Slice the pepper and chilli pepper into smaller pieces and place them in a blender or food processor. Add garlic and rosemary (only the green leaves without the stems). Pour in the oil, vinegar, and wine. Blend until vegetables coarse, then transfer to a small bowl.
- Season the lamb with salt and pepper, and pour the marinade over it.
- Coat the entire meat so that every part is covered, and leave it in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
Roasting
- Remove the meat from the marinade and place it on a baking tray. Position it with the skin side facing you and the meat facing downwards.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C, then roast the meat for about 40 minutes. If you prefer it medium done, 30 minutes should be enough.
- Once done, let it rest for 20 minutes, then slice and serve with Chimichurri sauce, drizzling a few spoonfuls over the roasted meat.
Chimichuri Sauce
- Combine all Chimichurri sauce ingredients, either finely chopped or quickly blend, according to your preference.
- Do not heat or cook the sauce; use it raw. Serve the sauce in a small bowl alongside the roasted meat.
Notes
What sauce do you typically serve with roasts?
Share your preference in the comments below! And if you decide to give this succulent lamb roast and Chimichurri sauce a try, be sure to drop a comment and let me know how it turned out! I’m eager to hear about your culinary adventures.
– bon appétit!