Smoked Lamb Shoulder Harissa-Pomegranate
A North African inspired lamb shoulder rubbed with a spicy harissa-pomegranate marinade and slowly hot-smoked to perfection. The meat becomes butter-tender and develops a deep, aromatic smoke flavor with a slightly sweet-spicy finish. Ideal for festive occasions or an impressive BBQ centerpiece.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Preparation & Marinating
12 hours (refrigerator)Mix all ingredients into a smooth paste. Pat the lamb shoulder dry, trim excess fat to about 5 mm. Rub the paste generously and evenly on all sides, massaging it into the meat fibers. Cover and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
Firing Up the Smoker
45 minutesBring the smoker to 110-120 °C. Prepare apple wood chips for mild sweetness and oak wood chunks for depth. Place a water pan under the grate to maintain moisture in the cooking chamber. Take the lamb shoulder out of the refrigerator 45 minutes before smoking.
Smoking
9-12 hoursPlace the lamb shoulder fat side up on the grate. Add wood chunks regularly during the first 4 hours. After 5-6 hours, when the bark is firm and dark, wrap the shoulder in butcher paper to prevent drying out. Continue smoking until a core temperature of 88-92 °C is reached.
Resting & Serving
45-60 minutesRemove the lamb shoulder from the smoker and let it rest wrapped in butcher paper in a cooler for at least 45 minutes. The juices will redistribute evenly. Then unwrap, slice or pull with two forks. Serve garnished with fresh pomegranate seeds and chopped mint.
Pro Tip
Use pomegranate molasses instead of fresh pomegranate juice – it adheres better to the meat and caramelizes into a beautiful bark during smoking.
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