Someone tell this veggie how to cook my lamb?!

[realhousewifeofdevoncounty]

Having folks over for early dinner later. Mum and I are veggies so doing parsnip and pistachio cutlets, and I have decided to do Canarian potatoes with mojo sauce as they were talking about how much they like them since coming back from their hols - so not really going down the gravy route. Am also
doing purple sprouting broccoli. So my question is, how do I cook the 1kg organic lamb shoulder that I took out of the freezer yesterday, for my dad, bro and dp? I have all the usual store cupboard stuff like garlic and dry herbs and a few fresh ones in the garden . Guessing it would need a bit of a Mediterranean theme? Exact tines and temperatures please as I am such a dunce when it comes to cooking meat!

Using a pestle and mortar make a simple paste of olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary and rub that into the shoulder. Allow to marinade for a few hours. When you're ready to cook get your oven to a high temperature (Gas 7 220C) and place the lamb on a rack in a roasting tin. Roast for 20 minutes, then turn down the heat to about Gas 3 (170C) and carry on roasting for another 40 minutes. When finished, remove the lamb to a board, cover with greaseproof paper and a clean tea-towel. Allow to rest for 20 - 30 minutes before carving as this allows the juices to settle rather than run out.

That sounds super! Ta!

Should have added... that results in a medium-cooked piece which should be quite juicy. If your family prefer their lamb more pink or well-done subtract or add 15 minutes or so.

Don't forget to score the top of the joint in several places before applying the rub! It'll help the flavours soak into the meat rather than acting as a glaze.

Don't forget to score the top of the joint in several places before applying the rub! It'll help the flavours soak into the meat rather than acting as a glaze.

stupid mobile phone...

Medium and juicy sounds good - pretty much sounds like how they like it! Dumb question, there is a plastic outer wrapping which obviously I'll take off, but there is this netting stuff round the outside, does that come off or is it holding it together? Also looking at it I think i may wait til dp gets home to do the marinade - not sure I can handle actually touching it .

Plastic off is a very good idea! As for the netting, it doesn't really matter (as long as it's not plastic). I've always removed it, but I know people who leave it on. Think it's about holding the shape so depends if you're going to leave it whole to present it or just serve it sliced.

Good luck!

Ah thanks, glad it wasn't such a ridiculously stupid question!

There's no such thing as a stupid question (but I've seen lots of stupid answers!). I've been in meetings/classrooms/lectures where someone has said "sorry for being stupid, but.." and seeing the relief on my everyone else's face because they were thinking the same!

I am guessing it is a boned, rolled shoulder? Leave the netting or string on, it is to hold the joint together and in shape while it cooks (otherwise it may flop into an irregular flat). It will also hold it while you carve, but this is more difficult with net than with string.

If you are a veggie, have you got a carving knife? If not, your biggest chefs knife will do. If you haven't got one, see if you can get hold of one. It should not have a serrated blade like a saw.

Shoulder can be quite fatty, so put it on a rack and pour off the fat that comes off. Lamb fat does not taste very good so I wouldn't use it for roasted potatoes or vegs.

I did a 5-hour lamb shoulder pot-roast last week, it was fantastic.

Yum! Could almost eat it myself! Thanks for all your input ladeees!