For a bit
of a change of pace I got the butcher to give me a lamb shoulder. Most people use lamb leg but I think the
flavour of lamb shoulder cooked low and slow is pretty hard to beat.
I oiled the
slow cooker up with vegetable oil in an attempt to stop the edges getting all
crusted up. I put a bed of thickly
sliced potato and onion into the bottom of the slow cooker.
I seared
the lamb on the hob – I often skip this when slow cooking but this was a bit of
a special occasion.
Pop the
seared lamb onto top of the potatoes and onion – skin side down (I was turning
it half way through so the presentation side would end up being on top).
Add the
following in with the lamb:
1 1/3 cups
balsamic vinegar (I thought this was a lot but I think you could even use a bit
more)
3 cups of
chicken stock
A handful
of fresh rosemary (I used 2 tsp of dried)
8 cloves of
garlic
2
tablespoons of brown sugar, maple syrup or palm sugar.
Salt and
pepper
I cooked it
for between 8 and 10 hours on low (turning the meat once about half way). Take the meat out to rest covered with foil
and pour the liquid from the slow cooker into a pan (after pouring off the
fat). Reduce this liquid by, say, a
third, and then finish the gravy/sauce with cream and fresh dill. Check the seasoning of the sauce and add more
if necessary.
I served it with baby
carrots and leeks. Rustic fare but very
good.
Looks like a delicious supper!
ReplyDeleteYou are right...it's always the leg isn't it?!
ReplyDeleteRosemary, balsamic, and brown sugar sound like a fantastic combination for lamb. Thank you for sharing, Carole.