ROSEMARY AND THYME BRAISED LAMB SHOULDER

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Rosemary and Thyme Braised Lamb Shoulder image

Provided by Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez

Categories     Lamb     Braise     Easter

Yield Makes 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

For lamb:
1 (6-pound) bone-in lamb shoulder roast, tied
1 large head garlic, separated into cloves (about 12), peeled
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary plus 1 sprig
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme plus 5 sprigs
2 cups dry white wine
2 cups water
For sauce:
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
Equipment:
a heavy 6 1/2 - 7 quart nonreactive heavy pot with a tight fitting lid, or a heavy-duty nonreactive roasting pan with heavy-duty foil

Steps:

  • Roast lamb:
  • Make slits in lamb shoulder all over at 2-inch intervals with a paring knife.
  • Pound garlic with kosher salt, zest, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to a coarse paste with mortar and pestle (or mince and mash with a large knife), then stir together with oil and 1 tablespoon each of rosemary and thyme. Rub paste all over lamb. Put in heavy pot or roasting pan, then chill, covered, 12 to 24 hours.
  • Bring roast to room temperature (about 1 hour).
  • Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in lower third.
  • Pour wine and water around lamb and add herb sprigs. Cover roast with a sheet of parchment. Cover pot with lid or cover roasting pan tightly with heavy-duty foil. Braise lamb in oven until tender but not falling off the bone, about 3 hours.
  • Increase oven to 450°F and remove parchment, then braise lamb, covered with lid (or foil), until very tender and top is browned, about 1 hour more. Carefully transfer lamb to a platter and loosely cover with foil. Let it stand 10 minutes.
  • Make sauce:
  • Pour braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve, then spoon off and discard fat remaining on liquid (you should have about 2 cups liquid; reserve pot). Whisk together flour and 1 cup liquid in a small bowl until smooth. Bring remaining liquid to a boil in uncleaned pot, then whisk in flour mixture and boil, whisking, until thickened, about 4 minutes. Stir in thyme and rosemary and season with salt and pepper.
  • To serve:
  • Remove and discard strings. Meat is too tender to slice with a carving knife; use a meat fork to pull meat into serving pieces.

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