Lamb roast

[BARDSLJR]

So here I am, with all this extra time on my hands, looking for things to do other than rowing and running (truth to be told, walking, because I have teensy little back problem at the L4....but nevermind, this is not the orthopaedic forum) , watching insanely good programming on Netflix and Amazon, and drinking far too much good wine....

And Easter is coming up. And I have this insanely well-designed and preposterously well-built smoker....Okay I've done lots of pork shoulders in the past. TONS of babyback ribs. Some VERY good brisket, after I got the hang of it. So I am thinking...how about a roast of lamb shoulder or something? I know I've seen it at Costco. If it's anything like pork, it should be near impossible to screw up on the Kamado. Any recommendations for methodology, temperature, cooking time, technique? I would think that if I can do serviceable brisket (I can, now after totally destroying four or five) , I can lamb.....surely.

PS...I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my Kamado. Thank you, Mr. Linkletter.....

[alimac23]

I’ve always had great success with both lamb shoulder and forequarter.

My method is to cut slits all over the shoulder, then place a slither of garlic and small piece of rosemary in each.

Put it in a tray with a rack, then cook it at 225 for 3 hours uncovered, then add a small amount of liquid, either water or stock, cover with foil and then cook for a further 3-4 hours until it proves tender and the bones pull out easily. So tasty with roast veggies and Yorkshire puddings, and of course, lots of mint sauce.








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[MacKenzie]

Awesome. 

[alimac23]

Thanks Mack! It's one of our favourites here! 

It's one of those dishes that you cant really mess up, as its covered, and at a really low temp, you could leave it in for hours more until you were ready to eat.

[Basher]

That’s a great look cool alimac.
Lamb is my favourite.
Plenty of options for you Bard.
I’m liking it cooked to medium at the moment.
Shoulder has more of the connective tissue and the alimac method is best on shoulder.
Legs medium, and cutlets, have to be rare.
Good luck and post the pics


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[BARDSLJR]

Lovely and very helpful! I knew my Aussie friends would have opinion on lamb. 😃

[Hephaestus]

Hey BARDSLJR, We love lamb. Here is our take on smoked lamb shoulder with coffee rub, done low and and slow indirect.

3 hours ago, BARDSLJR said:

😃

Edited April 9, 2020 by Hephaestus

[BARDSLJR]

Gorgeous. I scored a 6 1/2 pound (Australian, of course!) leg of lamb yesterday at Costco. I was going to cook it Sunday for Easter, the way my Greek-American friends in Salt Lake taught me: slits stuffed with fresh garlic, rosemary, and brushed and basted with olive oil and lemon juice. But......if you can believe (it is 70 and warm today) it will be 22 and snowing almost 5" on Sunday, so I think the cook will be for tomorrow. Will take pictures and let you know.

[BARDSLJR]

So, any suggestions for lamb boneless leg? I am thinking of marinating it this morning to start with- wine, garlic, rosemary, shallots. 6lbs.

[Basher]

Replace the wine with balsamic vinegar. It breaks down the fat beautifully...... or as well as.

 

 

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[BARDSLJR]

Great idea.

[tony b]

Sounds good, can't wait to see the results! I don't think that you can overdo the garlic and rosemary on lamb - IMHO! I was taught by a wonderful Italian-American cook - a close friend's Mom. The Greeks are just as passionate! 

Fortunately, this front is only going rain on us mostly (raining now), T-storm tomorrow, and maybe a bit of snow overnight. Still messing with my grilling plans though! 😪

[BARDSLJR]

Well, the suggestion for using balsamic vinegar for the marinade was a good one. I used a 50/50 blend of the balsamic and some open red wine (syrah...."shiraz" to my Aussie friends), and some granulated onion and garlic. Marinated for about 2 hours, cooked in the Kamado for about 3 hours at 275. It was quite good, though, as my wife observed, "it doesn't taste a lot like lamb". I have to agree but I think it was this particular cut or this particular lamb. So, since I started with 6 lbs of lamb lag, I still have quite a bit left over, and suggestions would be welcome. Last night I chopped up a pound or so and reheated it with onion and bell pepper, and added some (Maya Kamal....all her products are really excellent) tikka masala sauce and finished reheating it with the sauce. It was quite excellent. Next, maybe lamb hash with onions, bell pepper and potato, finished perhaps with an egg?

As we are all sheltering in place here, we have taken to finishing our day on the front porch, supervising the sunset with a good glass of wine or other pleasing adult beverages, hoisting a toast with the other neighbors out on their front porches doing the same thing. (Thank you, Herman Story vineyards and Helen Keplinger wines.). The other night, at 8PM just as it was getting really dark, the neighborhood was filled with wolf-pack-like howling, a tribute to our healthcare workers. It was quite a moment.

[tony b]

1 hour ago, BARDSLJR said:

Next, maybe lamb hash with onions, bell pepper and potato, finished perhaps with an egg?

Preferably a poached one! Go for it! 

[BARDSLJR]

Well, I think when you get the hash part mostly cooked, you just crack a couple of eggs over the top , put the cover on for 5 minutes and you achieve the same thing as poaching.

[tony b]

Do it in a skillet with some crushed tomatoes and viola - you have shakshuka! 

[Basher]

Bard lamb is one of those meats that can really change flavour depending on breeding conditions.
I can taste a huge difference in flavour with kiwi lamb to Aussie lamb and even British lamb.
Haven’t tried USA lamb and have always been surprised it hasn’t been as popular in the US.
Even Aussie lamb breeds have a very different taste. Traditionally we ate Marino- a wool sheep, however, better meat breeds have come out of Africa and are more popular here now- meat master and dorper. These make Marino taste average.
Then the age also makes a significant difference. My dad prefers a 2- 4 toother. He reckons they have more flavour although tougher. They do make excellent curry/ stew.
You had Aussie lamb. Age and breed I’m not sure. Aussie lamb has a much milder flavour than kiwi and British lamb.


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[BARDSLJR]

Interesting, I will have to look for New Zealand lamb....you are correct, lamb is an afterthought here in the US, lagging far behind beef, pork and chicken, and closer to bison and elk in popularity. Thanks for the reality check, also, I wasn't aware that there was so much variation in the taste. I understand that mutton has a much stronger flavor but is also typically tougher  (there is a region in the state of Kentucky where mutton is the preferred meat for barbecue, and it is smoked and slow-cooked. I've had some really great fresh baby lamb (was that redundant?) from the Cache Valley (Logan area). I'm guessing we will have some good locally raised Colorado lamb here - will have to start looking for it.

[tony b]

2 hours ago, BARDSLJR said:

(there is a region in the state of Kentucky where mutton is the preferred meat for barbecue,

I lived there for several years in my teens, I came to love Burgoo (lamb stew). But I have always been a fan of lamb - we ate lamb chops in my house as a kid. I guess it was my Scottish heritage?

[Paul]

I live on a ranch with ~50 head of cattle and 400+ sheep. All dorper. We eat lots of lamb!