The magnificent New Zealand lamb gives us so many different cuts that deliver a wide variety of flavours and textures and while you always know that you are eating lamb, every cut needs it’s own unique treatment. Which brings me to the slow roasted lamb shoulder.
During the more time conscious mid week, we will often enjoy a loin chop or a backstrap, even a rack (if on special), if there is a bit of extra time, a BBQ Leg of Lamb is always a family favourite, but if you’ve got a few hours spare and are looking for maximum flavour, then you move onto the shank and shoulder. The shank requires a bit more attention and is more suited to the winter months, but the shoulder is more along the lines of quick prep, throw in the oven and come back in a while.
This particular shoulder was 2.3kg (including the bone), it cost $32 and the slow roasted lamb shoulder fed the three of us for dinner, then lunch the next day (in wraps) and finally the leftovers were turned into a shepherds pie to feed us all over again and again. In total that $32 cut of meat (plus an estimated $15 of vegetables and wraps etc.) delivered 11 individual servings at less than $5 a serving. Yes I’ve gone completely off piste, but it is food for thought (or is that thought for food?)
For those of you who watch the video, I apologise for the cat, I had planned my filming schedule well with an empty house, what i hadn’t planned for was a feline intrusion.
I hope that you enjoy your slow roasted lamb shoulder, especially the way it falls apart after four hours in the oven. I served this one with the gravy (recipe below), fondant potatoes (recipe coming) and blanched green beans from the garden.
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 150℃/300℉Peel and slice onions thickly and throw in a roasting dish for the lamb to sit on.
- Slice the garlic whole head in half horizontally i.e. the bottom of the cloves are still intact as one, throw the bottom half in the roasting dish and peel the top half cloves
- Place the lamb on top of the onions in the roasting dish and stab the top of the lamb all over with a small knife, twisting the knife to create about 10-12 deep holes
- Insert a garlic clove and a rosemary stalk into each hole with a bit of the rosemary sticking out (purely for the photo op).
- Drizzle the top of the lamb with olive oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper, add the water to the bottom of the pan.
- If you have a lid for the roasting tin put that on or tightly cover in two layers of tin foil (although not so tightly that the rosemary stalks pierce the foil).
- Roast for 3⅐ hours, remove the tin foil, turn up the heat to 190℃/375℉ for a further 30 mins to brown it
- Remove to a board to rest tented by the tin foil that you took off 30 mins ago
- Once the gravy is ready, carve or tear apart with a fork or spoon and enjoy!
- Spoon out most of the fat from the roasting dish, leaving about a tablespoon (okay, just whatever you can).
- Heat dish over a medium high heat, add the flour (I use gluten free flour, it makes no difference), mix it into the onions, squash the half garlic head (which should be oozing goodness) and mix in. cook for a minute or two.
- Add the mustard and Worcestershire sauce mix, cook for another minute or two stirring, so it doesn't burn, then turn the heat up and add the wine
- Let the wine reduce for a few seconds and mix it in, then add half the stock, mix and bring to the boil.
- As the gravy thickens add more stock, stir and leave to thicken, repeat this process, until there is no more stock, if you feel it is too thick add some water.
- Strain the gravy through a sieve into a saucepan making sure you push though all of the goodness. at this stage if the gravy is too thin, increase the heat and reduce it in the saucepan, making sure that you are stirring so it doesn't stick. once you have the desired consistency, turn down the heat to keep warm and serve with the lamb and your desired vegetables.
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