Slow Cooked Half Shoulder of Lamb

Ingredients

• 2 lemons
• 650g/1lb 7oz waxy potatoes, peeled
• 1 onion, sliced into wedges
• 4-6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 1 half shoulder of Scotch Lamb weighing 800g/1lb 12oz
• 30ml/2 tbsp fresh thyme or 10ml/2tsp dried
• 10ml/2 tsp olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 300ml/1/2pt dry white wine or water

Cooking Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200oC/Fan 180oC/400oF/Gas Mark 6. Pare the zest from the lemons then thickly slice one and squeeze the juice from the other. Cut the potatoes into large chunks and place in a large roasting tin along with the onion wedges, garlic and sliced lemon. Pour over half the oil, lemon juice and wine (or water).
2. Place the shoulder of lamb on top of the vegetables, then drizzle over the remaining oil, scatter over the thyme lemon zest and plenty of seasoning then rub this all into the skin.
3. Loosely cover the tray with foil, then put it in the oven and cook for 10 mins.
4. Reduce the oven temperature to 170oC/Fan 150oC/ 325oF/Gas Mark 3 then bake the lamb for 1hr 20 mins.
5. Remove the foil, baste the meat with the pan juices, but don’t disturb the potatoes too much. Roast uncovered for a further 1hr 30 mins until the potatoes are golden and the lamb tender.

Butcher's Tips

Serving Suggestion
Serve the lamb with the potatoes, roasted garlic and onions along with some green vegetables.