Spiced Confit Lamb Shoulder

Pat the lamb shoulder completely dry with kitchen paper. Score the fat cap in a crosshatch pattern down to the meat. Season all surfaces generously with the sea salt and black pepper. Allow to sit uncovered at room temperature while you prepare all remaining ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 140°C fan (160°C conventional). Place a large, heavy-lidded casserole or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the lamb fat. Sear the lamb shoulder fat-side down until deep mahogany brown, approximately 8 minutes, without moving it — you should hear a steady sizzle and see rendered fat pooling around the edges.

Turn and sear the underside for a further 5 minutes until evenly coloured. Transfer the shoulder to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cardamom pods, dried chillies, and cinnamon stick directly to the fat in the pan. Stir constantly until the seeds are toasted and intensely fragrant, about 90 seconds — they should begin to pop lightly.

Add the garlic, onion, and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and takes on a light golden colour, about 6 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and cook, pressing them down with a spoon, until they break down and their liquid largely evaporates, about 5 minutes.

Pour in the white wine and scrape up all the caramelised bits from the base of the pan. Allow to simmer until the wine reduces by half, about 4 minutes.

Add the lamb stock, honey, preserved lemon rind, thyme bundle, and bay leaves. Stir to combine, then nestle the lamb shoulder back into the pot, fat-side up. The liquid should come roughly halfway up the meat.

Cover the casserole tightly with its lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 3 hours without disturbing.

Continue cooking, still covered, for a further 2 hours without disturbing — the shoulder should be extremely tender by the end of this stage.

Remove the lid and continue cooking for a further 1 hour, basting the shoulder every 20 minutes, until the surface is lacquered and deeply bronzed.

Remove from the oven and verify the internal temperature has reached a minimum of 90°C using a meat thermometer — at this temperature the collagen will have fully converted and the meat will yield completely when pressed. Rest, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Skim any excess fat from the surface of the braising juices. Discard the thyme bundle, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick. Taste the juices and adjust seasoning. Serve the shoulder directly in the casserole or transfer to a warmed platter. Spoon the braising vegetables and reduced juices over the meat and finish with flat-leaf parsley and pomegranate seeds.