Low and slow lamb shoulder

jbsmith

Did half a lamb shoulder over the weekend, cooked at 230f for 4hours direct. However the lamb tasted quite smokey which the wife didn't like.
I left the egg about an hour before putting the lamb on to get a clean burn.  So my question is was it because the fat drips on to the coals and causes smoke, if so whats the answer .

Toxarch

Never done a lamb shoulder. I have done rack of lamb were I seared it and then cooked it at low temp. I have also done reverse seared lamb chops. Both came out great. I'd try doing it indirect and then searing it at the end.

jbsmith

but do you think the fat dripping onto the coals is what made the meat smokey ?

Rambo

I've done several indirect over a drip pan and never run into that. My wife isn't a fan of smoke on Lamb so I run clean coals. Were you cooking raised direct?

Darby_Crenshaw

Yeah. Lamb fat burning is no bueno

a other reason not to sear lamb racks, for example

Egg_Specter

Lamb meat is fat by nature and therefore produces a lot of smoke due to drippings on hot coals. I can very well imagine that when you do ca. 4 hours direct, this smoke made your meat taste 'bad'.

jbsmith

Whats raised direct ?

Egg_Specter

'raised' means putting something in between of the firering and grill so that you bring the meat a bit further away from the heat. There are several ways to do this, an example is the Woo item in the ceramic grills store.

jbsmith

The Woo looks very interesting.

I think I will do it again but back to indirect with a drip pan.

Sea2Ski

I love lamb. Only way I have found to cook it is indirect, unless they are lamb chops, then you can go hotter and direct. 

bboulier

Definitely go indirect.  Never had any problems with that technique.  Grape vines provide a nice light smoked flavor

jbsmith

thanks

jbsmith

Ok  so listening to you all heres what I got.  I ran for nearly 6 hours the internal tamp was 147f, the grate was between 210f and 245f. Theme showed 235F.  The result was getting there a bit rare for me and the wife still complained of smokey last.  

jbsmith

jbsmith

Sorry picture from my last attempt

nolaegghead

Looks like you cooked indirect.

jbsmith

correct

nolaegghead

Re: wife.  

Season with olive oil, fresh garlic, rosemary or some green herb.  Cook it in your oven until 125F internal.  Get a hot fire on your egg.  Cook raised direct until the internal temp is where you want.  

You should please the wife.  Trust me (don't listen to anyone that starts out by saying that)

Plan B could be a foot massage.

jbsmith

did you mean direct the whole time ?

Darby_Crenshaw

Was the smoke 'good' smoke, or did you put the meat on soon after filling/lighting the egg?

fishlessman

147 was too rare....lamb goes downhill fast after 125, i take it off the grill before that.  if i was cooking that piece i would kabob it on rosemary skewers with a lemon juice, garlic, mint, herbs de province marinade and cook direct at 450/500

Mama Roneck

I've braised a lamb shoulder in an open pan - raised indirect.  3-4 hours and its delicious

sort of like this: 
http://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/anchor-and-hopes-slow-cooked-shoulder-of-lamb/5880.html

1move

Lamb is a gamey meat and it reacts very easily with smoke. Use some herbs and garlic on your lamb and baste it with a wine vinegar and same herbs (thyme, rosemary, and garlic) you will get a much better result.

Darby_Crenshaw

Lamb is not gamey. It tastes like lamb

i really don't understand this desire for uniformly bland beef or chicken flavor that everyone has.

1move

@Darby_Crenshaw that's your opinion. My opinion is that it's gamey, I never said it didn't taste like lamb or that it wasn't lamb. Just like deer, caribou, moose, goat, elk, and many others have an acquired taste so does lamb!

johnmitchell

We love lamb and eat it often. This my favorite web site I go to when looking for inspiration. www.kalofagas.ca 

YukonRon

My son loves, loves, loves lamb chops on the BGE. I have never tried any other cut of lamb. His taste pallet is odd, very straight and narrow. What he seems to enjoy is junk food, plain white rice, actually plain everything, and Mountain Dew. He likes chicken, plain. Steak, plain. Strange to me, as I love spices, herbs, everything.
My question is this, when doing a shoulder roast, as mentioned above, will the herbs and spices impact the flavor significantly, or should I just stick to chops?

johnmitchell

@YukonRon I believe there are certain spices that definitely enhance a lamb roast. Rosemary, Thyme, Garlic, Ginger, Coriander, Cumin, Oregano. I like to add some roughly chopped mint leaves. I also like to garnish with Chimichurri sauce. The Chimichurri adds a nice zesty flavor and helps to cut through the slight fatty taste. You need to give it a try. Lamb prices are pretty good at the moment

YukonRon

johnmitchell said:

@YukonRon I believe there are certain spices that definitely enhance a lamb roast. Rosemary, Thyme, Garlic, Ginger, Coriander, Cumin, Oregano. I like to add some roughly chopped mint leaves. I also like to garnish with Chimichurri sauce. The Chimichurri adds a nice zesty flavor and helps to cut through the slight fatty taste. You need to give it a try. Lamb prices are pretty good at the moment

Thank you John. I will. If I may ask, my son really likes Mediterranean flavored lamb and chicken. Are you aware of any recipes or threads that are available to study and experiment with?

johnmitchell

YukonRon said:

johnmitchell said:

@YukonRon I believe there are certain spices that definitely enhance a lamb roast. Rosemary, Thyme, Garlic, Ginger, Coriander, Cumin, Oregano. I like to add some roughly chopped mint leaves. I also like to garnish with Chimichurri sauce. The Chimichurri adds a nice zesty flavor and helps to cut through the slight fatty taste. You need to give it a try. Lamb prices are pretty good at the moment

Thank you John. I will. If I may ask, my son really likes Mediterranean flavored lamb and chicken. Are you aware of any recipes or threads that are available to study and experiment with?

This is my favorite Mediterranean site. www.kalofagas.ca

1move

@YukonRon I am from the Mediterranean and trust me that recipe I posted is awesome. Just make sure you baste it with red wine or wine vinegar and add salt and pepper.