Recipe: Slow roast shoulder of lamb

Ingredients:

• 2kg-2.5kg lamb shoulder (on the bone)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 8 shallots, peeled and halved (or 3 Red Onions)
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 10 sprigs thyme
• 6 sun-dried tomatoes
• 6 dried shiitake mushrooms (or portobello mushrooms)
• 275ml red wine
• 600ml lamb stock or chicken
• Course sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Instructions:

Before we start…

If using dried Shiitake mushrooms:
Soak the Shiitake mushrooms in hot water for 50 minutes and ensure that they are fully rehydrated. Strain and discard the mixture. Cut the stems off the mushrooms and discard. Slice the mushroom caps into thin slices.

If using portobello mushrooms:
Rinse the portobello mushrooms in warm water and discard the mixture. Cut the stems off the mushrooms and discard. Slice the mushroom caps into thin slices.

Preheat oven to 120°C

Browning the lamb…

1. Place into an oven-proof casserole dish large enough for the shoulder to lie flat in.
2. Rub the olive oil onto the shoulder of lamb. Season with salt and ground black pepper.
3. Place the dish on the hob, set to a high heat and brown the lamb all over.
4. Reduce the heat to medium, add the shallots and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Now add the garlic, mushrooms, thyme sprigs and sundried tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
6. Pour the stock and red wine over the joint. Bring to the boil, cover the dish, and put in the centre of oven the preheated oven.

Low and slow…

Cook for 4 hours, turning the lamb every hour, taking care as the meat will be very tender and will fall off the bone.

Prepare your sides…

Prepare some sides of choice. We would recommend creamy mashed potatoes with spring onions and some oven roasted root vegetables.

The wait is over…

After 4 hours, remove the dish from the oven and carefully transfer the lamb, mushrooms, tomatoes and shallots to a serving dish.

Finishing touches…

For the sauce, spoon off any excess fat from the cooking juices. Pour liquid into a frying pan and heat over a medium heat. Stir the sauce regularly and simmer until the volume of liquid has reduced by one third.

To serve, pull some of the lamb from the bone and pour over the red wine sauce.

Accompany with your prepared sides and enjoy!