Moist and full of flavour, this roast practically cooks itself. It’s so easy you will feel guilty accepting the compliments. But take them anyway! Don’t be put off by the time it takes to cook. Your part is a measly 10 minutes, then let the oven do the rest. I have suggested you cook two shoulders so you will have enough left over for at least one more meal during the week. Feel free to make it three if you like. There is no need to change any of the other ingredient quantities.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5 hours
Total time: 5½ hours
Serves: 8 (4 + more)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 lamb shoulders on the bone or 1 leg of lamb
- 8 garlic cloves, chopped roughly
- 4 rosemary sprigs
- 8 thyme sprigs
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 cups beef stock
- salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons cornflour (optional)
Method
- Preheat oven to 125°C.
- Heat heavy based, oven proof pot on high heat, add oil and sear lamb for 2 minutes on each side.
- Add garlic, rosemary, and thyme, and cook for a further 30 seconds, then add red wine and allow to bubble for 2 minutes.
- Finally add stock and once it comes to the boil, place lid on pot and put in oven for 5 hours.
- When cooked, remove lamb from pot, cover and rest while you make the sauce.
- Strain juices into a jug and then return juices to the pot. Discard garlic, rosemary and thyme.
- Remove fat* and bring juices to the boil, cooking rapidly until reduced by about a quarter or half. If sauce needs more thickening, take 2–3 tablespoons of the sauce liquid and mix with cornflour in a separate jug. Return to pot and stir continuously over medium heat until it thickens slightly.
- Pull apart the lamb with a fork and serve with sauce and roast cherry tomatoes, roast pumpkin and steamed green beans.
Tip: *To remove fat, add a couple of mugs of ice to the pot. The fat accumulates around the cold ice and solidifies. Remove with a slotted spoon and discard.