Slow Cooked Shoulder of Lamb with French Bean Salad
This is the main course which I dedicate to my father and my son’s father on Fathers’ Day. My father liked lamb very much, but it was not very often on our table, because my mom does not like it. He ate it most of the time in restaurants. Everybody loves lamb in my house, and I make it in many different ways from different parts, my lamb’s leg recipe is already on our site. It’s not Easter without a roasted lamb dinner, lamb leg is popular for BBQ during the summer and I make a stew at wintertime with fragrant spices which are fitting for Christmas period. I will share that recipe with you too when we are nearing Christmas.
I made this shoulder of young lamb in Instant Pot’s slow cooker method, but you can slow roast it in the oven as well, you just have to cover it with kitchen foil very well for it to steam and cook in its own juice and remain soft.
I bought two shoulders, about 900 gram each. All cooking times apply to this size. An older, bigger lamb’s shoulder needs more time of course.
I made two side dishes, the marinated aubergine and tomato with cilantro is already posted on our site, the French green bean is here, in this recipe. Marinated aubergine is better if you make it ahead, it is better when the flavors marinate for at least a day. The French green bean side dish is better when it is made fresh, I do not like if it is reheated next day. It’s another easy and fast dish to make and you can prepare it in just 15 minutes. You have enough time to prepare it while the lamb is cooking or roasting.
Slow cooked Shoulder of Lamb and French Bean Salad
Equipment
- Instant Pot/Slow Cooker or Oven
Ingredients
Lamb
- 2 young lamb shoulder about 900 gram each
- 1 tsp cumin ground
- 1 tsp smoked paprika powder
- 1 tbsp thyme leaves
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 tbsp rosemary leaves
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 2 big red onions peeled and halved
- 2 bulbs garlic halved
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper freshly ground
French Bean Salad
- 300 gram French bean
- 50 gram pistachio roasted and crushed
- 3 cloves garlic finely cut
- 3 spring onions finely sliced
- 1½ tbsp pistachio oil
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Cut fat and membrane on the flesh, then make some small cuts with a small and sharp knife on it.
- Put olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika powder, thyme and rosemary leaves, salt and pepper into a bowl (a mortar is the best) and mix and crush ingredients well.
- Massage this spice and herb mixture on to the shoulder of lamb, into the small cuts.
- Put halved red onions, halved garlic bulbs, sprig of rosemary and thyme into the bottom of the inner pot of Instant Pot.
- Place the lamb shoulders on the top of them.
- Turn on Instant Pot to “Slow cook” function, “Normal” adjust and 4 hours.
- Switch on the oven to highest temperature on grill function.
- Remove tender shoulders from Instant Pot and place in an ovenproof serving dish with cooked red onions, garlics and a bit of cooking juices and grill them for 4-5 minutes until is golden brown.
- Make the salad during the cooking time of shoulders. Steam French beans in a steamer pot (do not cook them in water) for 10 minutes.
- Transfer steamed green beans into serving bowl, add all salad ingredients in it and toss together.
- Serve slow cooked shoulder of lamb with French bean salad and marinated aubergine with tomato and cilantro.