Zahav's signature lamb shoulder is a whole bone-in cut that's brined for depth, smoked for complexity, and braised in pomegranate molasses until fall-apart tender, then finished in a screaming oven for a crispy crust. The result balances smoke, sweetness, and savory richness in one impressive centerpiece.
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Combine the salt with the sugar, fennel seeds, peppercorns, allspice, garlic and about 2 quarts water in a large pot. Bring to a rapid boil, stirring to dissolve the salt. Remove from the heat and allow the brine to cool completely.
Combine the chickpeas with the baking soda in a large bowl and cover with water by several inches. Let soak overnight.
Put the lamb shoulder in a large (6- to 8-quart) container and pour the brine over the lamb. (Ideally, the lamb shoulder should be submerged, so weight it with two plates. But if that's impractical, cover the lamb with a clean cloth that's saturated in the brine.) Refrigerate the lamb shoulder in the brine overnight or up to 48 hours.
Preheat the oven to 475°F. Place a rack on a baking sheet. Drain the lamb and pat dry. Put the lamb on the rack and roast until well browned on the exterior, about 30 minutes. (Or sear the lamb over a medium-hot grill for 15 minutes until well browned on all sides and nicely charred in places.) Lower the oven to 300°F.
Transfer the lamb shoulder to a large roasting pan. Mix the pomegranate molasses with 8 cups water in a bowl and add to the pan. (The liquid should come about halfway up the shoulder; add water if needed.) Drain the chickpeas and add them to the liquid. Place a sheet of parchment paper over the lamb and cover the pan tightly with foil.
Braise in the oven until the lamb shreds easily with a fork and the chickpeas are tender, about 5 hours. Let the lamb cool in its braising liquid in the refrigerator overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 475°F. Roast the lamb, uncovered, spooning the braising liquid over the lamb every 5 minutes, until the lamb is hot through and glazed with the liquid, about 30 minutes. Serve with crispy Persian rice if you like.
Cool the braised lamb in its liquid, cover, and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered pot before the final oven crisping.
Smoker (or grill with smoking box) · Dutch oven or heavy braising pot with lid · Instant-read thermometer
Bone-in is preferred for flavor and structure during the long braise, but boneless will work—reduce cooking time by 20–30 minutes and check for doneness earlier.
You can skip smoking and proceed directly to braising; the pomegranate molasses and brining will still deliver deep flavor, though you'll lose the signature smoke note.
The meat should shred easily with a fork and the shoulder blade should pull free with minimal resistance. Internal temp should reach 190–203°F.
Yes—braise the lamb 1–2 days ahead, cool, refrigerate in braising liquid, then reheat gently before the final high-heat finish to crisp the exterior.
Israeli salads, hummus, roasted vegetables, or flatbread work well to balance the rich, smoky, sweet lamb.
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