Perfect comfort food combining my 3 favorite ingredients. Melt in the mouth lamb with a sticky rich beer and beet sauce.
Ingredients
| 600 g | Lamb shoulder (Main) |
| 500 ml | Beer, I used the Harrington's Pig n Whistle variety, any mild dark or red ale is good, nothing too hoppy or the resulting sauce can be bitter |
| 4 small | Beetroot |
| 2 leaves | Bay leaves |
| 1 sprig | Fresh rosemary |
| 6 pieces | Black peppercorns |
| 4 cloves | Garlic |
| 1 large | Brown onion |
Directions
- Rub the lamb shoulder with oil and season with salt. The lamb is better if bone in, but boned is also fine. Suitable for any size piece of lamb, just scale the recipe accordingly and adjust cooking times.
- Sear the lamb in a hot pan or ideally on a BBQ, on all sides until golden brown. Set aside.
- Peel and cut the beetroot into wedges. Cut the ends off the onion and quarter (leaving the skin on). Cut the ends off the garlic cloves (again leave the skins on).
- Sear the onion and garlic until coloured golden brown on all sides (including skin), using the same pan or BBQ used for the lamb.
- Deglaze the pan with a splash of beer to collect all cooking juices and colouring from the pan. Add these juices to a pot which will snugly fit the lamb. Add all ingredients to the pot. Ensuring the lamb is just covered with the remaining beer (add more beer if needed).
- Cover the pot and bring to the boil. Simmer gently on a very low heat for 2.5 hours (until the lamb is soft). Remove the lid and cook for a further 45 minutes, allowing the cooking liquid to begin evaporating.
- Remove the lamb and set aside to rest. Remove the beets from the cooking liquid. Optional: colour the beets in a hot oven with extra cloves of garlic and olive oil.
- Strain the cooking liquid. Then reduce it over a rapid boil until a sauce consistency i.e almost completely evaporated. Correct the seasoning.
- Slice the lamb, and cover with the beer and beet sauce. Serve with mash and the previously cooked beets.