- Joined
- Sep 5, 2013
- Location
- Auckland, NZ
At the drop of a hat I decided yesterday to cook some lamb, pulled lamb shoulder. I left it a bit late in the day so only cooked for 5 hours and therefore bumped up the temp to 300-325, no water in the WSM. This produced marvellous pulled lamb, really terrific, but the meat around the top ribs only got to 190F (the rest got to 205F) so I think 6 hours would have been better. Actually, I would prefer at 275 and do longer, as there was quite a bit of fat in the shoulder still at the end of the cook. The shoulder was a bit butchered, not a true shoulder, not enough neck etc - but good enough for this job.
I cooked over lump only, no wood chips, as I like an extremely mild smoke on lamb. Still got a nice smoke ring, but without the heavy, gamey, preserved taste that I think comes with even moderately smoked lamb.
This was the first time I had injected lamb and I found that with a sweet injection, the resulting taste was very similar to pork shoulder. This showed me again the contribution that injections/rubs/smoke has to the final flavouring.
Prep was straight out of the packaging, injected, rubbed and into the WSM. Injected with 50% diluted prune juice and Korean Bulgogi mix. Rub was a bit of Char Siu followed by a light Plowboys Bovine Bold. I put on a rack over a close-fitting pan that had water, juice and garlic, ginger, lemon grass and a bit of rosemary. Uncovered.
300-325 for 5 hours.. this probed 205 and completely liquid for the shoulder portion - the ribs portion was still at 185-190. The troops were then getting restless, so I took it off, pulled off the top section and served that pulled, then put the rest back on for another 1.5 hours before cooling and putting into the fridge overnight.
The pulled lamb was absolutely tops. Criticisms were that it was a bit sweet,, and a bit too fatty, but otherwise sensational. Visitors said best ever, and they are lamb experts. Served without sauce (though could have made a great gravy I feel), with fresh corn and a green salad. Pretty good stuff.
Next time around will drop the proportion of sugar by 50% (or remove entirely) and will cook at a lower temp to give more time for the fat to render. I am thinking 275 for 8 hours may be a better guide next time. Also, I'd like to try a hogget or even mutton, I'd like less fat to start with. I did ask for these, but they are now special order, even in NZ! When we first came over here 30 years ago, a side of lamb (1/2 lamb) was $20, a hogget was $15 and mutton was $10 a side.
So, for all you northern hemisphere 'quers, while you were watching the National Championship (which we also saw here), the day was an absolute cracker down in the South Pacific, in the low 80's, gentle breeze - luxury!
I cooked over lump only, no wood chips, as I like an extremely mild smoke on lamb. Still got a nice smoke ring, but without the heavy, gamey, preserved taste that I think comes with even moderately smoked lamb.
This was the first time I had injected lamb and I found that with a sweet injection, the resulting taste was very similar to pork shoulder. This showed me again the contribution that injections/rubs/smoke has to the final flavouring.
Prep was straight out of the packaging, injected, rubbed and into the WSM. Injected with 50% diluted prune juice and Korean Bulgogi mix. Rub was a bit of Char Siu followed by a light Plowboys Bovine Bold. I put on a rack over a close-fitting pan that had water, juice and garlic, ginger, lemon grass and a bit of rosemary. Uncovered.
300-325 for 5 hours.. this probed 205 and completely liquid for the shoulder portion - the ribs portion was still at 185-190. The troops were then getting restless, so I took it off, pulled off the top section and served that pulled, then put the rest back on for another 1.5 hours before cooling and putting into the fridge overnight.
The pulled lamb was absolutely tops. Criticisms were that it was a bit sweet,, and a bit too fatty, but otherwise sensational. Visitors said best ever, and they are lamb experts. Served without sauce (though could have made a great gravy I feel), with fresh corn and a green salad. Pretty good stuff.
Next time around will drop the proportion of sugar by 50% (or remove entirely) and will cook at a lower temp to give more time for the fat to render. I am thinking 275 for 8 hours may be a better guide next time. Also, I'd like to try a hogget or even mutton, I'd like less fat to start with. I did ask for these, but they are now special order, even in NZ! When we first came over here 30 years ago, a side of lamb (1/2 lamb) was $20, a hogget was $15 and mutton was $10 a side.
So, for all you northern hemisphere 'quers, while you were watching the National Championship (which we also saw here), the day was an absolute cracker down in the South Pacific, in the low 80's, gentle breeze - luxury!
