Lamb Shoulder

[Verminskti]

I picked up a shoulder of lamb from the butchers.

Salted, dried garlic, rosemary and coriander on as a rub and left overnight.

I smoked it for 5 hours until internal temperature was 203F with whiskey oak. Just before the end I chopped a red onion really finely, fried that in some oil and threw in two handfuls of prunes, a splash of mead and a teaspoon and a half of a harissa paste. I let it all soften down and whizzed it with a stick blender. I smeared the paste over the top of the lamb and let it finish cooking.

[thumbpop]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/Tripod2000/Barbecue/20150408_134119_zpsnoojascs.jpg[/thumbpop]

I have to say as a cut of meat I don't think I'm a big fan although there is a beautiful muscle at the bottom there that's very thin so sauce, crispy skin and an unctuous strip of beautiful smokey lamb that was really beautiful. Else it was a bit bland if I'm honest on the soft as butter pieces from the bigger muscles. Also a little fiddly to carve up. I think I'd like to try it with a leg joint or mutton. Maybe some kind of brine injection as I find with larger cuts they're often a little flavourless away from the bark.