Charles Gifford wrote:
> "Lee" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Hi everyone,
>>
>>I'm sure this is a poorly worded question, as I am rather
>>ignorant when it comes to cooking with meat, particularly
>>lamb.
>>
>>In any case, I am planning to try a recipe that calls
>>for 6 LBs. of lamb shoulder, which is to be rolled
>>and tied before cooking for 4-5 hours at 250 in a Dutch
>>oven...
>>
>>I am wondering what I should be looking to find/ask a
>>butcher for for this meat... My instincts say that to
>>roll the meat I am looking for a large boneless slab
>>of meat, but all of the resources I've found indicate
>>that lamb shoulder cuts are all rather bony -- should I
>>be deboning the meat I buy / having a butcher debone it
>>for me? Will I really be finding one cut of meat which
>>is 6 LBs, or should I be buying multiple cuts and rolling
>>them up / tieing them together?
>>
>>(The recipe is a Mexican recipe which involves
>>rolling the meat up, covering it with sauce in the
>>Dutch oven, and cooking it at 250 for 4-5 hours, not
>>much mroe than that; I should be able to handle it
>>if I can figure out what meat to buy! 
>>
>>
>>thanks for any advice,
>>Lee
>
>
> I always buy my lamb from a Halal butcher here in Sandy Eggo. He does not
> charge me for deboning it and it is the best lamb I have found here.
> Shoulder is more strongly flavored than leg of lamb. You can, almost
> certainly, make the same recipe from deboned leg of lamb if that is easier
> to get. Unless you really like the stronger flavor, leg will work fine and
> it is easier to get a nice piece for rolling.
>
> As it is a Mexican recipe I would like to ask you to post the recipe (and
> your question) to:
> news:alt.food.mexican-cooking
>
> You are likely to get many more interesting contributions there. We would
> also enjoy seeing your recipe!
>
> Charlie
>
>
Because it is you, Charlie, I will offer up my most favorite lamb
recipe. Banyuls, a sweet red wine from the South of France, near the
Spanish border, is often found in decent wine shops. Not really
expensive. Using anything else will seriously detract from the dish.
* Exported from MasterCook *
Epaule d'Agneau à la Catalane
Recipe By : published in Saveur in November 2000
Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Dinner French
Lamb Main Dish
Meats
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 lemons
1 8 lb. boneless lamb shoulder -- trimmed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 cloves garlic -- peeled
2 sticks cinnamon
1 lb. ripe tomatoes -- peeled and seeded,
or 1 28-oz. can whole peeled
tomatoes with their juice
1 bottle sweet banyuls -- (750 ml.)
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves -- (2 to 3)
1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat; then add lemons
and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain; then cut each lemon into 8 pieces
lengthwise, and set aside.
2. Season lamb generously with salt and pepper. Set a large, heavy
roasting pan over 2 burners on top of the stove. Add lamb, fat side
down, and cook, without additional fat, over medium-high heat, turning
once, until well browned on both sides, about 20 minutes in all. Remove
lamb, and set aside; then pour off and discard excess fat, and return
pan to stove.
3. Add lemons to roasting pan, and cook over medium heat for about 2
minutes, stirring and crushing lemons with a wooden spoon and
scraping up any browned bits stuck to bottom of pan. Add garlic and
cinnamon, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes, banyuls, thyme, and
bay leaves, and cook for 1 minute more. Season to taste with salt and
pepper; then return lamb to pan. Reduce heat to low, cover pan tightly
with foil, and braise slowly until lamb is tender, about 1 3/4 hour.
Remove cinnamon, thyme, and bay leaves before serving.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NOTES : Catalan style shoulder of Lamb.
Françoise Massot makes this dish with banyuls, a fortified,
grenache-based wine from the town of the same name on the French
Catalan coast, near the Spanish border. Some good examples of
banyuls are available in the United States.
--
Alan
"I don't think you can win the war on terror."
...George (flip-flop) Bush, 8/30/2004