Deck the halls with flavour! This Slow-Roasted Spiced Lamb plus Cranberry-Herb Rice is all about tender leg of lamb, a ruby-orange glaze, and a side of citrus-twisted rice. It’s basically holiday magic in one pan—low and slow for melt-in-your-mouth meat, bright and festive with every bite.
PREP TIME: 45 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 4 HOURS 30 MINUTES
SERVES: 6–8
INGREDIENTS FOR LAMB:
2.2–2.5kg leg of lamb (or lamb shoulder for even softer shredding)
1 large onion, thickly sliced
1 orange, thickly sliced
3 tablespoons Garlic Banhoek Chilli Oil
½ cup cranberry jam
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground coriander
5 sprigs rosemary
2 ½ cups beef or chicken stock
Zest and juice of 1 orange
Salt and black pepper
Fresh parsley for serving
INGREDIENTS FOR CRANBERRY & HERB RICE:
2 cups basmati rice, rinsed
3½ cups chicken stock or water
¾ cup dried cranberries
⅓ cup toasted sliced almonds
⅓ cup crispy onions (optional)
A generous handful of chopped parsley
Zest of 1 orange
Salt
METHOD FOR LAMB:
Heat the oven to 150°C
Place the sliced onion and sliced oranges in a deep roasting tray. Put the lamb on top and season generously with salt and black pepper.
Mix the Banhoek Chilli Oil, cranberry jam, tomato paste, cumin, smoked paprika, cinnamon, ground coriander, orange zest and orange juice together to form a thick glaze. Spread this all over the lamb.
Scatter the rosemary around the meat, then pour in the stock so it comes about a third of the way up the sides.
Cover tightly with foil and roast for 4½–5 hours until the lamb collapses when pressed with a fork.
Remove the foil for the last 30 minutes to caramelise the top and let the sauce reduce into a sticky glaze.
Remove the onions & orange slices and shred the lamb directly in the tray so it soaks in the juices.
METHOD FOR THE CRANBERRY & HERB RICE:
Cook the rice with the chicken stock or water until fluffy.
Fluff with a fork and fold through the cranberries while the rice is warm so they soften.
Add the almonds, crispy onions, parsley and orange zest. Season lightly with salt.
Serve piled next to the lamb, letting the sticky roasting juices mix with the rice.
