# lamb shoulder roast



## bscepter (Apr 6, 2010)

this summer, we bought a whole lamb. this sunday, i'd like to cook a shoulder roast, but i'm not quite sure what to do. my plan was to braise it in wine and do a sort of traditional french roast (start with lardons, brown the meat, add mirepoix, deglaze with wine, etc.) but i'm not sure if this approach works with lamb shoulder. 

plus, it's got the bone in, and i've read that most butchers bone it before they sell it. so, should i remove the bone - and if so, is it difficult to do?

thanks for any advice.


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

Do not be frightened of the lamb shoulder.  It is inexpensive, intensely delicious, and ridiculously easy to prepare. 

You don't have to take the bone out.  It looks rather weird and flintstone like but by the time you're done cooking it will fall off the bone, just scoop it to serve.

I usually just season simply with garlic, lemon, salt and pepper and rub with olive oil.  You could use anything you like here form moroccan spices to lots of rosemary, etc.  I would avoid the lardons though.  This is a very fatty cut you won't believe how much fat it releases so skip on adding further fat, it doesn't need it.

Ok here comes the hard part hehe.  Season it and put it in a deep roasting pan.  No water, no sauce, no wine, no nothing.  Cover it with foil.  Stick it in a 500F oven for 10min then turn the oven down to 325-350.  Don't turn it, don't baste it, don't even open the oven door.  Leave it in there for 4hrs.  When the 4hrs are up take it out, remove the roast from the pan (which will now be filled with possibly 2 inches of pan juices and fat), cover it and let it rest for up to an hour if necessary. Use the pan juices to make a gravy.

Really this cut is fool proof.  My guests kiss my hands after I serve them this roast, it will be a big hit you'll see.


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## bscepter (Apr 6, 2010)

thanks! that sounds ideal!

by the way - when you put it in the roasting pan, do you put it fat-cap side up or down? also, if you cover it with foil, won't the foil touch the meat? will that be a problem?


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

As a general rule when roasting any meat the fat side faces up so that the fat drips off and self bastes.  As to the foil touching the meat it's ok I don't think it matters, however I place it in a deep roasting pan, minimum of 3in I'd say.  Being that it's covered the whole time it braises in its own juices and lets off quite a bit of liquid, you'll want a deep roasting pan for that.  It's ok if you want to throw veggies in there too, I usually throw in a few whole heads of garlic, but anything that helps you make your gravy is good.


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## bscepter (Apr 6, 2010)

Koukouvagia said:


> As a general rule when roasting any meat the fat side faces up so that the fat drips off and self bastes. As to the foil touching the meat it's ok I don't think it matters, however I place it in a deep roasting pan, minimum of 3in I'd say. Being that it's covered the whole time it braises in its own juices and lets off quite a bit of liquid, you'll want a deep roasting pan for that. It's ok if you want to throw veggies in there too, I usually throw in a few whole heads of garlic, but anything that helps you make your gravy is good.


thanks again. by the way, do i leave the fat cap on? should i score it? does it make crackling?


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## gareth (Feb 3, 2011)

Lamb is the best, whatever you do don't try to debone, its difficult and even apprentice butchers need to be shown a number of times. You also need the shank on to be able to do it properly. Lamb is very versatile and absorbs spice well as pointed out. You can't carve a shoulder one way, you will see that. If you use rosemary make sure you only use new shoot tips that are light green. Just a tip with starting, I start fat side down for 2 reasons it firstly heats the fat a little quicker so its rendered more quickly and as such you won't loose any gravy and second fat that is caramilised is a great source flavour. I turn it after 15-20. A lot of people also say lamb dries out if it's not rare. That's hogwash lamb will stay moist for a long time so its very versitile


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

I bone and roll it  then tie it so its even then  sit it on top of its bone with mirepoix and cook. Sorry Like my Lamb rare.not pot roast

When boning lamb I have always found a half round chisel (tip very sharp)  to be a great tool.  You can what s called Tunnel the meat or sliding the chisel down the bone while not slitting the meat itself. Works great on hams with bone too. Using chisel one can bone a leg of lamb in record time.


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## bscepter (Apr 6, 2010)

Koukouvagia said:


> Do not be frightened of the lamb shoulder. It is inexpensive, intensely delicious, and ridiculously easy to prepare.
> 
> You don't have to take the bone out. It looks rather weird and flintstone like but by the time you're done cooking it will fall off the bone, just scoop it to serve.
> 
> ...


i still like this approach. can i put some new potatoes and carrots in for the last hour? it seems a shame not to use all those wonderful drippings.


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

You can do whatever you want, add potatoes, veggies, whatever. They'll be mighty good potatoes. When I do that I use whole peeled potatoes and put them in raw at the 2hr point. They slow cook and are buttery soft at the end but have more of a boiled texture. If you want a more crispy roasted potato par boil them and place them in a seperate uncovered roasting pan along with some stolen pan juices from your roast in the last hour of cooking.



chefedb said:


> I bone and roll it then tie it so its even then sit it on top of its bone with mirepoix and cook. Sorry Like my Lamb rare.not pot roast
> 
> When boning lamb I have always found a half round chisel (tip very sharp) to be a great tool. You can what s called Tunnel the meat or sliding the chisel down the bone while not slitting the meat itself. Works great on hams with bone too. Using chisel one can bone a leg of lamb in record time.


It depends on the cut of course, and you shouldn't confuse lamb shoulder with leg of lamb. Rare lamb shoulder is tough and chewy as would be any shoulder cut of any animal. Why not roast a leg or a rack of lamb if you're looking for medium rare? Each part of an animal can be cooked in a way to bring it to its optimal goodness. The slow roasting method is not a pot roast, it actually does get very nicely browned. If you were making beef brisket or chuck you wouldn't serve it rare just because you like beef to be rare would you? No, you'd choose a better cut for that purpose, but brisket needs to be very slow cooked in order to make it edible.

Oh and by the way, there are a lot of wonderful recipes all around the world for various lamb pot roasts. Slow cooked lamb is nothing to scoff at.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Koukouvagia said:


> You can do whatever you want, add potatoes, veggies, whatever. They'll be mighty good potatoes. When I do that I use whole peeled potatoes and put them in raw at the 2hr point. They slow cook and are buttery soft at the end but have more of a boiled texture. If you want a more crispy roasted potato par boil them and place them in a seperate uncovered roasting pan along with some stolen pan juices from your roast in the last hour of cooking.
> 
> It depends on the cut of course, and you shouldn't confuse lamb shoulder with leg of lamb. Rare lamb shoulder is tough and chewy as would be any shoulder cut of any animal. Why not roast a leg or a rack of lamb if you're looking for medium rare? Each part of an animal can be cooked in a way to bring it to its optimal goodness. The slow roasting method is not a pot roast, it actually does get very nicely browned. If you were making beef brisket or chuck you wouldn't serve it rare just because you like beef to be rare would you? No, you'd choose a better cut for that purpose, but brisket needs to be very slow cooked in order to make it edible.
> 
> Oh and by the way, there are a lot of wonderful recipes all around the world for various lamb pot roasts. Slow cooked lamb is nothing to scoff at.


*Believe me I know the differences between shoulders and legs and all other cuts. As I said it is my preference and taste to eat rare lamb, and am not scoffing at it.. If you like it well thats your taste. If I wanted pot roast I would not expect it rare .Real Lamb Stew is cooked well and I love it, as is real shephards pie. If you called it brisket or pot roast and it was rare it would not be done correctly., Chuck cannott be rare unless tenderized first or pump treated with papain.*

*How one prefers his or hers meat is 90% ethnic based. When I did large parties in NY I always cooked based on ethnic backgrounds of majority of guest Exampla Take Prime Rib with an Italian clientel= no blood on meat/, Afro American= well done/ Irish ==Rare /Med region Med well to well. I am not stereo typing but this is the way it was.*


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## bscepter (Apr 6, 2010)

well, the roast is in. rubbed with some kosher salt, a pinch of truffle salt, black pepper, herbes de provence, and some garlic-infused olive oil. wish me luck.


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## bscepter (Apr 6, 2010)

just checked, two hours in, to throw some potatoes and carrots to swim in the juices, and i must say it smells great. 

however - even though i started at 500 degrees for ten mins, there's still not too much color on the meat. when it's done in another couple of hours, can i throw it under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp up the top?


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## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

don't be a mother clucker....it will be fine, just leave it be to do its thing!!

joey


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

bscepter said:


> just checked, two hours in, to throw some potatoes and carrots to swim in the juices, and i must say it smells great.
> 
> however - even though i started at 500 degrees for ten mins, there's still not too much color on the meat. when it's done in another couple of hours, can i throw it under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp up the top?


 Yes but not for too long.


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