Cooking Instructions
1.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2.
Place the
Lamb Shoulder (7.7 lb)
into a roasting pan. The lamb should fit snugly.
3.
Finely chop half the
Fresh Rosemary (5 sprigs)
and all of the
Fresh Oregano (5 sprigs)
. Zest and juice the
Lemons (2)
– keeping the lemon halves.
4.
In a bowl, combine the chopped herbs, lemon zest and juice, and
Garlic (2 heads)
with the
Olive Oil (3/4 cup)
.
5.
Use a sharp knife to slice little pockets all over the lamb shoulder. Use a teaspoon or fingers to push some of the marinade into these pockets. Rub the rest of the marinade over the lamb and season liberally with
Sea Salt (to taste)
and
Ground Black Pepper (to taste)
.
6.
Turn the lamb so that it is skin side up, with the rib section facing down. Halve the
Onion (1)
and place under the ribs, along with the lemon halves and remaining
Fresh Rosemary (5 sprigs)
. Pour in half of the
Dry White Wine (1/2 bottle)
and use kitchen foil to cover the lamb, tucking in the corners to seal the dish.
7.
Roast the lamb shoulder at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for the first 30 minutes.
8.
Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) for a further 4 1/2 hours. About halfway, add the remaining
Dry White Wine (1/2 bottle)
. The lamb will steam as the wine slowly evaporates, caramelizing and rendering as it cooks. When ready, the lamb should fall apart at the slightest touch of a fork.
9.
While the lamb roasts, prepare the ragu base. Heat a little
Butter (as needed)
in a large heavy-bottomed and lidded casserole.
10.
Finely chop the
Baby Bella Mushrooms (1 pckg)
,
Celery (1/2 stalk)
, and
Shallots (3)
and sauté until gently caramelized.
11.
Increase the heat, finely chop the
Fresh Rosemary (3 sprigs)
,
Fresh Oregano (3 sprigs)
, and
Fresh Thyme (3 sprigs)
, and add to the pot along with a grind each of
Sea Salt (to taste)
and
Ground Black Pepper (to taste)
.
12.
Pour in the bottle of
Red Wine (1 bottle)
and deglaze. Over high heat, reduce the liquid slightly and add the
Whole Peeled Tomatoes (2 cans)
and
Tomatoes (4)
. Cook the sauce over low heat with the lid slightly ajar to allow the mixture to gently reduce.
13.
Once the lamb is ready, remove it from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.
14.
Using two forks, gently shred the lamb meat, either discarding the bones or keeping them for stock. Be sure to remove and discard all gristle, sinew, and large pieces of fat.
15.
Add the shredded lamb to the ragu sauce, thinning the sauce with any leftover pan juices from the lamb or a little stock or hot water.
16.
Crush in the
Garlic (4 cloves)
and stir to combine. Cook the ragu for a further 20-30 minutes and preferably leave overnight to allow the flavors to develop.