ISO tips/help cooking lamb shoulder

[bethzaring]

In my continuing quest to rid my freezer of some challenges, I want to use the 5 pound lamb shoulder. It is a bony, knarly, unforgiving looking piece. I have never cooked lamb before. How should I approach this shoulder? Temps, method, carving, and leftover tips will be greatly appreciated. This is a locally produced lamb, nothing fancy from a known lamb producer.

[Bilby]

Sounds like a case of slow cooking until the meat falls off the bone, like with lamb shanks. Throw in some vegetables and make a lamb stew. Leftover roast lamb makes an excellent lamb curry.

I can't give you cooking times etc as I don't do slow cooking. Just my suggestions.

[AllenOK]

I'll second the idea about slow-cooking moist-heat method. Braised is a good one, like Bilby's Lamb Stew idea. Personally, since I suffer from a BBQ addiction, I would want to smoke the shoulder. It can't be too different from the pork shoulder I've been smoking.

[miniman]

I would go along with the slow cooking - probably Morrrocan tagine style with preserved lemons & nothe african spices.

[jerseyjay14]

Originally Posted by bethzaring

In my continuing quest to rid my freezer of some challenges, I want to use the 5 pound lamb shoulder. It is a bony, knarly, unforgiving looking piece. I have never cooked lamb before. How should I approach this shoulder? Temps, method, carving, and leftover tips will be greatly appreciated. This is a locally produced lamb, nothing fancy from a known lamb producer.

i actually just made lamb shoulder this week. there are actually 2 parts to the lamb shoulder. one is a section of the back ribs, the other is meat around the joint continuing along the breast. then there is going to be some left over meat from the shoulder blade, connective tissue and such(you can use that in a stew or maybe some lamb risotto?).

you can crack the join and seperate these 2 sections. i would debone the joint/breast section, stuff it, roll it, and roast it.


the rib section, you can crack the ribs into chops and either roast whole and cut later or sear and roast individually or grill.




Either way, half the battle is seperating these 2 sections and cutting/removing the joint bone.

[bethzaring]

wow, that looks wonderful, thanks for posting

and thanks all for the recommendations. It's still in the freezer but will be coming out soon!

[buckytom]

i like making the gnarlier cuts of lamb into a french stew, but you could adapt it to a bigger hunk o' meat.

season and brown the meat, then braise it in red wine, herbs de provence, quartered onions, and the zest of an orange. towards the end, add sliced carrots and potatoes.

[lyndalou]

Bucky, that sounds wonderful. What wine do you use for braising? Do you cover the meat with it, or go about 2/3 up the sides? Is wine the only liquid you use?
Lots of questions....

[buckytom]

lyndalou, i like to drink and cook with pinot noir. and yes, you don't want to come up more than half of the side of the meat.

since the wine needs to be apportioned , i'll add stock or even water if needed.

here's the recipe that i use for the stew, called daube provencal. http://www.discusscooking.com/forums...ncal-5351.html

it's one i copied and modified from tony bourdain's cookbook "les halles". in the thread, chez suz made some good changes, including using white wine. i've made it both ways with success.