Sheep shoulder

The butcher in Manor Green Road is up and running again, with a new team, and we thought it time that we gave it a go. So last weekend I ordered up a shoulder of lamb, including, as I put it, all the bones and all the bits and bobs. That is to say, not wanting a trimmed shoulder served up in shrink wrap. It took a few moments for the butcher to work out what I was on about, but we got there, and I collected the shoulder snapped above first thing on the Saturday morning. 

Pleased to fine that neck of lamb appeared to be another option.

Weighed in at just about 5lbs, so some way off the record, but quite enough for two. So cooking time was taken from those of the near identical joint of reference 2. That is to say, into the oven pre-heated to 180°C at 11:00 with forks down targeted for 13:30. At which point I took off for a spot of matinal exercise, resulting in the trolley noticed at reference 3.

In the event, BH decided that it was cooked at 13:00 and took it out of the oven to rest under a cloth. 

In the event, spot on. Served with the usual vegetables, plus a dash of Fleurie from Waitrose.

Near the end of the first sitting.

Apple sponge pudding, with an interesting depression which appeared at some point during the cooking or cooling.

On the plate.

During the proceedings, we reviewed the proposal for Thin Wednesdays, as advertised at the beginning of the previous post at reference 4. The mood of the meeting was that dairy would be permitted, but that we would review again in due course. Maybe we would end up going the whole hog.

Shoulder taken cold the next day, with much the same vegetables. The snap above being taken at the end of that second outing. I was impressed by the size of the humerus, showing white in the middle of the snap - but then I suppose that a sheep, as a four-legged animal, puts rather more weight and stress on its front legs than we do.

Despite appearances, there was plenty for a third meal a couple of days after that, and still enough to supplement a macaroni cheese the day after that. So not as an expensive business as might at first appear.

This despite the removal of getting on for half a pint of liquid fat and perhaps half as much again in solid white format. Not put out for the crows on this occasion, rather into the green food waste bin provided by the council. A bin which I might say is not as fox proof as is claimed.

References

Reference 1: https://www.masterbutchersepsom.co.uk/.

Reference 2: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2021/11/more-sheep.html.

Reference 3: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2022/11/trolley-543.html.

Reference 4: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2022/11/embassy.html.