Recipe: Slow-roasted shoulder of lamb (2024)

By Raymond Blanc

Updated: 20:00, 19 February 2011

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This dish epitomises good home cooking. Shoulder is one of the cheaper cuts of lamb, yet here it is transformed into a wholesome meal – the long, slow cooking rendering the meat tender, juicy and incredibly tasty. Maman Blanc never used stock – just water, herbs and the occasional splash of wine to create delectable cooking juices. A shoulder of lamb will vary in weight according to the time of year. In spring and early summer, it will be about 1.5kg, while in August it could be 2kg, and in November around 3kg, so you’ll need to adjust the cooking time accordingly: a 2kg shoulder will take 4½ hours; one weighing 3kg will need 5½ hours. Be sure to read my Kitchen Secrets below before starting the recipe.

Serves 4-6

1.5kg new season’s shoulder of lamb, plus 700g lamb bones and trimmings
4 pinches of sea salt
4 pinches of freshly ground black pepper
2 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked, finely chopped
3 sage leaves, finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 garlic bulb, halved horizontally
100ml white wine, such as dry chardonnay
400ml-500ml hot water
1 bay leaf
3 thyme sprigs

To prepare the lamb: lightly score the skin of the lamb. Rub all over with the salt, pepper, chopped herbs and olive oil. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 230C/210C fan/gas 8. Heat the rapeseed oil in a large heavy-duty roasting pan over a medium heat. Add the lamb bones and meat trimmings and colour, turning from time to time, for 7-10 minutes until lightly golden. Add the garlic and brown for 3 minutes, then take the roasting pan off the heat.
To roast the lamb: sit the seasoned lamb shoulder on top of the bones and roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small pan, bring the wine to the boil and let it bubble for 30 seconds, then add 400ml water, the bay leaf and thyme.
Take the lamb out of the oven and baste the joint with the pan juices, removing any excess fat. Add the wine mixture to the roasting pan, stirring to scrape up the sediment on the base of the pan.
Turn down the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Cover the meat loosely with a piece of foil and return to the oven. Roast for a further 4 hours, basting every 30 minutes with the pan juices. If, at the end of cooking, the pan juices are reduced right down, stir in about 100ml water to extend the jus.
To serve: remove the lamb from the oven. Strain the juices into a small saucepan and remove the excess fat from the surface. Set the lamb aside to rest. Reheat the juices until bubbling, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Pour into a warmed sauce boat.
Place the lamb on the table so your guests can help themselves. The lamb will be tender enough to be portioned with a spoon, though you can carve it with a knife if you prefer. My braised vegetables (see you.co.uk) and the turnip and potato gratin (see page 61) would be excellent accompaniments here.

VARIATION Flavour the seasoning rub for the lamb with spices rather than herbs – cumin and coriander seeds will give it an Indian flavour.

MY KITCHEN SECRETS
Planning ahead The lamb can be scored and marinated several hours ahead.
STEP 1 The salt and herb rub will permeate the lamb with a subtle flavour. The meat needs to be out of the fridge for at least an hour before cooking to ensure it reaches room temperature before going into the oven.
STEP 2 Do not colour the bones too much, or the resulting jus will taste bitter and astringent. And remember there is 4 hours of slow cooking ahead.
STEP 3 The bones serve two purposes. Firstly, they provide a platform for the lamb joint, allowing the heat to circulate all around it, facilitating even cooking. If the joint sits directly on the base of the pan, the meat in direct contact is liable to dry out. Secondly, the caramelised bones provide the basis for a wonderful pan jus.
STEP 4 Adding water will lift the caramelised meat juices from the bottom of the pan and the bones, creating a flavourful jus. It will also keep the lamb moist during cooking.

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Recipe taken from Kitchen Secrets by Raymond Blanc; published in YOU, Mail on Sunday

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Recipe: Slow-roasted shoulder of lamb (2024)

FAQs

Does lamb shoulder get more tender the longer you cook it? ›

Slow cooking in liquid transforms tougher cuts of lamb into fork-tender meat. Neck, shoulder and belly, either diced or as whole joints, are the best cuts for slow cooking and need to be cooked for at least 2 hrs at 150C to soften the meat.

Can you cook lamb at 200 degrees? ›

Reduce the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C, pour 250ml (8fl oz) white wine and a splash of water over the lamb. Roast for 15 minutes per 500g (1.1lb) for pink lamb; for well-done lamb roast for 20 minutes per 500g.

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Is it better to cook lamb longer? ›

It depends on the cut. If you cook a lamb shank low and slow, it will become more tender as long as you don't let it dry out. A lamb chop, on the other hand, will reach optimum tenderness at medium rare. After that it will become tougher as it cooks.

Does overcooking lamb make it tough? ›

This allows the juices to redistribute into the meat and it won't be lost as juice on the carving tray. Don't overcook! The biggest culprit for tough grass-fed meat is overcooking. This meat needs to be cooked to Rare to Medium Rare.

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Is lamb better cooked slow or fast? ›

Steaks from the rump end are more tender and suited for fast cooking options, while middle cuts are better suited for slow, moist cooking methods. Both, when cooked correctly, will result in rich flavoursome and tender lamb.

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