Mallorcan lamb: a native breed with Mediterranean flavor

Four-legged treasure: the Mallorcan sheep and its legacy

The Mallorcan sheep is one of the Mediterranean’s livestock treasures. Medium-sized, with white or light cream fleece and remarkable resilience, this native breed produces some of the most flavorful and authentic meat of the island. Perfectly adapted to the local climate and poor Mediterranean pastures, it delivers exceptional quality meat.

Mallorcan lambs, raised on natural vegetation including wild aromatic herbs such as thyme, rosemary, and fennel, develop unique nuances that embody the island’s terroir. Their meat is tender, juicy, and refined, with a distinct mineral touch from grazing freely on calcareous soils.

Culinarily, Mallorcan lamb is versatile, but its true excellence shines in slow oven roasts, particularly the shoulder, where balanced fat infiltration ensures succulence and depth of flavor. Traditionally, it has always been cooked with the same herbs the animal grazed on, a philosophy that connects gastronomy with the land itself.

At Ramaders Agrupats, we continue to honor this heritage. The following oven-roasted Mallorcan lamb shoulder with mountain herbs is our tribute to this extraordinary breed and its timeless culinary tradition.

Recipe: Oven-roasted Mallorcan lamb shoulder with mountain herbs

Ingredients

2 Mallorcan shoulder of lamb
6 garlic cloves
Fresh rosemary
Fresh tyme
1 lemon
2 large potatoes
2 onions
2 carrots
1 glass dry white wine
Extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper

Preparation

Remove the lamb shoulders from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to reach room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 170°C.
Make deep incisions in the meat and insert thin garlic slices and sprigs of rosemary and thyme.
Rub the lamb shoulders with coarse salt, freshly ground black pepper, olive oil, and lemon zest.
Marinate for at least 2 hours in the fridge, covered with cling film.
Peel and slice the potatoes into thick rounds, quarters the onions, and cut the carrots into thick sticks.
Arrange the vegetables in a large roasting tray as a base and places the lamb on top, fat side up.
Sprinkle with white wine and add the juice of the lemon.
Cover with foil and roasts for 1 hour.
Remove the foil, increase the oven to 200° C, and roasts for 30-40 minutes more, basting with the juices.
Check the meat is golden and tender, then lets it rest 10 minutes before carving and serving with roasted vegetables and strained juices.