Braised Lamb Shoulder

A unique recipe for special occasions—whether for Christmas or Easter.

Three people cooking together in a modern kitchen with white cookware and kitchen utensils on the counter.

Braised Lamb Shoulder with Bean and Spelt Cassoulet

Difficulty Level: Challenging| Cooking time: 2 h 45 min

Ingredients for 4 people

1	lamb shoulder, boneless - bone should still be present
1	sprig of thyme, rosemary, marjoram, sage each
1	onion
2	carrots
1/2	celeriac
2 tbps	oil
8	cherry tomatoes
2	cloves garlic
200 ml	lamb broth
800 ml	lamb sauce
	salt
	black pepper, freshly ground

For the cassoulet

300g	green beans
1	bunch of savory
2 tbsp	oil
400 g	Dinkelino (spelt like rice)
2	shallots
100 ml	dry white wine
800 ml	vegetable stock
100 g	butter
	fresh herbs, kitchen twine

Gourmet steak with pink center, garnished with fresh rosemary sprigs and glossy sauce on dark surface.

Slow down and cook.

Cooking can be relaxing. When the meat cooks slowly and the flavours gradually unfold. This melt-in-the-mouth lamb shoulder is a delicious recipe for special occasions – whether at Christmas or Easter. Lamb is low in fat and rich in protein, iron and zinc. It also contains plenty of folic acid and B vitamins. Cassoulet originates from French cuisine and is a hearty bean stew. Traditionally, it is prepared with white beans, bacon and pork.

Preparation

01
Preheat the oven to 160°C for a ventilated oven. Rinse the shoulder under cold running water and wipe it dry, lightly salt all over. Then lay them flat on a board, skin side down, and place the herbs in the middle. Roll the meat lengthwise and tie like a rolled roast, leaving the shank exposed.

02
Clean the vegetables, cut them into large cubes and glaze them in oil. Place in a roasting pan and lay the shoulder of lamb on top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour 30 minutes. Then baste regularly with lamb stock. After about 2 hours, the shoulder should be finished. 10 minutes before the end of cooking, put the cherry tomatoes in the roasting pan. Remove the finished shoulder from the oven, remove the kitchen twine and let rest.

Woman in blue shirt removing a pot from a modern built-in oven in a bright kitchen with large windows.

03
For the cassoulet, clean and finely chop the beans. In a saucepan, bring water to a boil with salt and a sprig of savory, cook the beans until they are al dente then rinse them in ice water. Peel and finely dice the shallots; finely chop the savory. Heat the oil in a pot and sauté the diced shallots. Add the Dinkelino and sauté it as well, stirring constantly.

04
Deglaze with white wine and let boil. Then pour half of the vegetable broth and let it reduce. Add the rest of the broth and continue cooking over low heat, taking care not to let the liquid boil completely. To finish, incorporate the beans, the chopped savory and the butter, salt to taste.

05
Heat a heavy skillet (e.g. the Rhino Iron Skillet) and sear the shoulder all over, glaze it with the lamb broth from the rotisserie and add the garlic to the skillet.

06
Cut the meat into slices and arrange on preheated plates and a few pour the sauce over it. Place the cherry tomatoes next to it and garnish with the herbs. Serve the bean cassoulet on the side.