Winter nights call for winter slow cooked, moorish meat! (unless your vegetarian!)
So I popped into my local butcher in Kumeu and had a chat. With the birth of the supermarkets unfortunately the local butcher is being pushed out.Â
But they are so full of knowledge I should have spent hours talking to him about different cuts and dinner options.
I wanted to cook beef cheeks but at an average price of $8 per piece the price was just too high so we opted to braise a boned lamb shoulder. At $25 for the whole boned shoulder it is a fantastic affordable winter dinner for 6 people.
So let's get cooking.
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Braised dishes take time so start early.
- 6 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 Tbsp smoked paprika
- salt and pepper
- Combine into a paste.
- 1 boned lamb shoulder lamb shoulder, laid flat and seasonedÂ
- 3 Tbsp cooking oil
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 onions, peeled and chopped
- 1 bunch thyme, fresh
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 cups beef stock
- Heat oven to 160 degrees, lay lamb shoulder on board skin side down and spread with garlic mixture.
- Roll up tightly and tie with strong string.
- Heat oil in roasting tray and add carrots and onions and lamb, and fry quickly to brown all sides.
- Add red wine, beef stock and thyme. Cover with baking paper and then tin foil. Baking paper stops the tinfoil sticking to the lamb.
- Place in oven and cook for 2.5 hours.Â
- Remove tin foil and keep warm, strain stock into sauce pan and skim of any fat. Reduce to create a wonderful rich stock.
- Discard string, onion, thyme and carrot from the lamb and carve into thick slices.
- Serve over your favourite mash, kumara or parsnip would work best and pour over your rich gravy
Yum
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