Oven Baked Lamb Shawarma

My take on a lamb shawarma — made on a vertical skewer in the oven.

I opened my latest Peter Augustus butcher box and right on top was this beautiful butterflied lamb shoulder, deep in colour, full of marbling, and basically begging to be the hero of a recipe. Instead of going down the classic slow-roast route, I decided to make my take on a lamb shawarma, cooked on my vertical oven skewer for that gorgeous shaved-edge finish.

If you’re in Brisbane, you might already know Peter Augustus. They’re the kind of butcher that remembers your name and your favourite cut. As part of the Stanbroke Beef family, they’re directly connected from farm to butcher’s block, true paddock-to-plate quality with full traceability, and you can taste the difference every time. Their Camp Hill store is full of everything from award-winning Wagyu and Angus, to everyday favourites, dry-aged specialties, smallgoods, chef-prepped meals, and custom cuts from butchers who genuinely care.

And now they’ve made it even easier with their Curated Butcher’s Boxes, a hand-picked selection of premium cuts, sausages, house-made specialties and weekly favourites, delivered straight to your door. My lamb shoulder came from one of these boxes, and it was honestly perfect for this recipe.

This dish is warm, herby, citrusy and a little sweet, think lemon zest, cumin, coriander, paprika and sumac, all caramelising beautifully as the lamb roasts upright. The bone broth baste keeps it glossy and tender, and the vertical skewer gives you that shawarma-style texture without any fuss.

It’s simple, impressive, and one of my favourite ways to cook lamb right now.

Ways to Use This Lamb Shawarma

This lamb is so tender and flavour-packed that it works in almost anything. Here are some of my favourite ways to use the leftovers (if you have any):

1. Loaded Pita Wraps Warm pita, shaved lamb, pickled onions, tomato, cucumber, mint yoghurt or toum. Fast, fresh and addictive.

2. Lamb Bowls Serve the lamb over rice or couscous with crunchy salad, herbs, yoghurt, and a spoon of those pan juices.

3. Greek-Inspired Grain Salad Toss shaved lamb through a salad of quinoa, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, olives, herbs, lemon and olive oil. Light but still satisfying.

4. Baked “Shawarma” Potatoes Load crispy roasted potatoes with lamb, tzatziki, herbs and a squeeze of lemon. Comfort food perfection.

5. Flatbread Pizzas Top flatbreads with hummus, lamb, red onions and feta. Bake until warm, finish with parsley and lemon.

6. Breakfast Eggs + Lamb Heat leftover lamb in a pan and serve with fried eggs, herbs and pita. A Middle Eastern-inspired breakfast that takes five minutes.

7. Mezze-Style Entertaining Serve shaved lamb alongside dips, pickles, olives, grilled vegetables and fresh bread. Perfect for hosting.

Oven Baked Lamb Shawarma

Serves: 4-6
Prep Time: 15 minutes (1hr marinating)
Cook Time: 1 hours

Ingredients:

Lamb

• 1 × butterflied lamb shoulder (approx. 1.2–1.6kg), I used one from Peter Augustus Butcher

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

• Juice + zest of 1 lemon

• ½ cup parsley, finely chopped

• 2 tbsp mint, finely chopped

• 3–4 tbsp coriander, finely chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, grated

• 1/4 cup bone broth or stock

Spices

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• 1 tbsp sumac

• 1 tbsp paprika

• 1 tbsp garlic powder

• 1 tbsp onion granules

• 1 tsp sea salt

• ½ tsp cracked black pepper

• 1 tsp brown sugar

Method:

1. Prepare the lamb: Lay the butterflied lamb shoulder flat. Instead of thin strips, slice it into steak-like pieces, about 6–8cm wide and 2–3cm thick. This gives you chunky layers that roast beautifully and still shave well once cooked. No need to stress about perfect shapes. Just make the pieces similar thickness so they stack evenly.

2. Make the marinade: In a large bowl, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice + zest, herbs, garlic, spices and brown sugar until it forms a fragrant paste.

3. Marinate: Add the lamb pieces and coat them well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight if you have time.

4. Build the skewer: Thread the lamb onto your vertical oven skewer, stacking the steak-like pieces tightly. Press down as you go so the tower feels compact, this ensures even cooking and those crispy, shaved edges.

5. Stock: After stacking the lamb on the vertical skewer, mix ¼ cup bone broth with the leftover marinade in the bowl, just enough to loosen the spices. Pour over the lamb.
This gives the meat a deeper flavour, keeps it moist, and helps build that beautiful glaze on the outside.

5. Roast: Preheat the oven to 200°C fan. Place the skewer in its pan and roast for 50–60 minutes, or until the outer layer is deep golden and caramelised. Finish with a 5–7 minute grill if you want extra crisp. Baste every 15-20 minutes with the juices in the base of the pan.

6. Rest & slice: Let the lamb rest for 10 minutes. Shave thin slices off the outside, the mix of crispy edges and juicy centre is perfect.

Cooking Notes

• Baste for flavour: Mix ¼ cup bone broth with the leftover marinade and spoon it over the lamb every 15-20 minutes for a glossy, juicy finish.

• Compact the stack: Press the lamb pieces tightly onto the vertical skewer, a firm, even stack cooks better and gives you great caramelisation.

• Let it rest: Give the lamb 10 minutes to rest before slicing so the juices settle and every shaved piece stays tender.

Link to Jacqui's Blog page with other great recipes here.