Lamb Shoulder With Balsamic Glaze

4 servings
5 hr 20 min

This hearty, slow cooked lamb oyster shoulder with balsamic glaze is the perfect balance of sweet and sour deliciousness. The slow cooking creates fall off the bone, mouth watering lamb. While the balsamic glaze fills your house with the most amazing aroma, that will have the whole family ready and waiting to eat. Ready to wow your family and friends with this delicious lamb dish? Let us walk you through it.

What is the lamb oyster shoulder cut?


The lamb oyster shoulder, is a cut that has the blade bone running through it and the shank removed. This delicious cut is under used but great to cook with and creates amazing results.


A perfect cut for low and slow cooking, this cut is also extremely forgiving and is hard to overcook. It’s a great cut for marinating, with so many different flavor combinations. You could combine cumin, garlic, preserved lemon, and za’atar spice for a Middle Eastern twist served with cous cous. Or rub your lamb with garlic, oregano, lemon zest, chilli for a greek twist serving it with a zingy yoghurt sauce, feta, a squeeze of lemon and yoghurt flat breads.


We are super lucky here in New Zealand to have amazing landscapes and pasture. Creating amazing environments for our animals to roam, eating native plants and producing delicious meat. The shoulder is a working muscle and the oyster cut creates great flavour and a nice marble, with a real sweetness to it.

How to slow cook a lamb shoulder


This cut really needs to be cooked low and slow, it produce delicious, moist, fall off the bone meat. Our recipe guides your through a few simple steps that are hard to get wrong and produce a delicious piece of meat every time. Start by creating a flavour base for your lamb to sit on, using onions, garlic, rosemary and a little oil then well season the meat. Create a good colouring on the meat first by cooking at 220 deg C for 20 minutes. Then add the stock to the dish and turn it down to 130 deg C for 4 hours to slow cook.


To create the glaze


After 4 hours, take the dish from the oven, remove the lid and add the balsamic vinegar. Turn the heat up to 180 deg C, return the dish back to the oven (no lid). Baste the meat every 5 minutes during the last half an hour of cooking, using the juices in the pan. Watch the liquid levels, as you don’t want to reduce the liquid till it’d gone as this will also be your sauce. Once beautifully glazed remove from the oven, take out the pearl onions and garlic and set aside. Cover your lamb to keep warm and allow it to rest.


This delicious slow cooked lamb oyster shoulder with balsamic glaze, is well worth the time spent on it. Perfect for enjoying shared style with family and friends.


Happy cooking!



Lamb Shoulder With Balsamic Glaze
Recipe details
  • 4  servings
  • Prep time: 30 Minutes Cook time: 290 Minutes Total time: 5 hr 20 min
Show Nutrition Info
Hide Nutrition Info
Ingredients

  • 1.2 kg Lamb oyster shoulder Bone in (See note 1)
  • 12 ea Pearl onions Peeled (See note 2)
  • 2 bulbs Garlic Cut in half
  • 4 sprigs Fresh rosemary
  • 4 tbsp Exta virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 500 ml Beef stock
  • 100 ml Balsamic vinegar (See note 3)
Side dishes (optional)
  • Bunch Baby carrots Peeled
  • 4 Medium potatoes Peeled
  • 150 g Butter
  • 100 ml Milk
Instructions
To cook your lamb:
Pre heat you oven to 220 deg C
In your roasting pan drizzle a little of oil in the base. Layer the pearl onions, garlic and rosemary to create a base for your lamb.
Season your piece of lamb on both sides with a good amount of salt and pepper and extra virgin olive oil.
Place the  lamb onto the onion and garlic base and place into your pre heated oven.
Roast your lamb for 20 minutes until just starting to colour.
Heat your beef stock in a pot.
After your lamb has roasted for 20 minutes, pour in your hot beef stock and cover with a lid and turn the oven down to 130 deg C.
Set your timer for 4 hours and leave to slow cook.
After 4 hours remove the lid and pour in the balsamic vinegar, turn the heat up to 180 deg C.
Baste your meat every 5 minutes during the last half an hour of cooking using the juices in the pan. Don’t reduce the liquid until it is gone as this will also be your sauce.
Once beautifully glazed remove from the oven, take out the pearl onions and garlic, skim off any excess oil using a spoon.  Cover your lamb to keep warm and allow it to rest.
Prepare your side dishes: (optional)
Cut up your peeled potatoes and place into a pot, cover with cold water and place on the heat. Bring to the boil and cook until soft.
Bring a pot of water to the boil and season with a pinch of salt, add your baby carrots and cook until tender. Remove from the water and season with a knob of butter.
Strain off the water and mash your potatoes, adding in the butter and season with salt. (press your potatoes through a sieve for an extra smooth mash)
To serve:
Arrange your lamb in a dish or on a platter and layer with the pearl onions, garlic bulb and baby carrots.  Serve along side your side dishes.
Spoon the excess balsamic pan juices over your lamb and garnish with some fresh rosemary. And enjoy!
Tips
  • Note 1 – You can substitute this cut with a lamb shoulder bone in and follow the same method in this recipe.
  • Note 2 – also known as button, baby or silverskin onions
  • Note 3 – we recommend using a balsamic vinegar of Modena, if possible.
A Tasty Kitchen
Want more details about this and other recipes? Check out more here!
Go
Comments
Next