Smoked lamb shoulder

[ulc]

Lamb is not something I normally cook or eat but I got a good deal on lamb shoulder so I decided to give it a shot. I used the Western lump charcoal I picked up from Walmart Memorial Day sale along with some cherry chunks in my 18.5 WSM. Total cook time was about 5 hours at around 290 F cooking temperature. I pulled the lamb when the meat internal temp hit around 200 F.

2.99 /lb for lamb shoulder is pretty good deal for my area

Rubbed it with olive oil and sprinkled on salt, black pepper, garlic powder, rosemary, and thyme

In the smoker

5 hours later

Little taste test after a rest

Split open with the big bone removed

Sliced and chopped

Perilla leaf from the garden with some lamb, white rice, and gochujang paste

I really enjoyed the lamb. I was afraid it would be gamey but it wasn't at all. I mean I could taste the lamb but it was the good kind of taste. The meat was really soft but one thing I noticed was how rich it tasted. The grease is heavier and thicker than pork or beef and turns into thick lard as it dries. I had some difficulty removing the grease from my hand even after washing it with soap.

 

[Stingerhook]

Great looking cook.

 

[Titch]

Looks delightfull mate,nice work with the lamb.
those leaves intrigue me, mint taste?

 

[ulc]

Looks delightfull mate,nice work with the lamb.
those leaves intrigue me, mint taste?

Perilla is extremely strong and powerful tasting herb/weed. It's hard to describe the taste because it's so unique. It's like combination of mint, basil, and anise with nutty flavor. Perilla leaves are extremely popular in Korean cuisine and pretty much always eaten with KBBQ grilled pork belly. It grows like crazy in my backyard garden during the summer so it's perfect for summer BBQ.

 

[BillN]

Thanks for posting, first time hearing about Perilla leaf, I continue to learn new things on this site every time I log on.

 

[Garyclaw]

Thanks for sharing that cook, ulc. I've never done Lamb shoulder and would like to try it. You made it look easy.

 

[AussieMatt]

Thank you for sharing. That's a killer price for lamb...around here it's about 2 to 3 times that amount per pound.

 

[EdF]

Lamb shoulder can be so great. Glad yours worked out!

 

[Jason TQ]

Looks awesome. I did 2 of them for the first time back in April and it was great. Mine were a little "gamier" than other lamb parts, so not sure if that is common. Made awesome tacos.

 

[Mason Dixon Bowhunta]

Nice job! Looks delicious

 

[TedW]

I do a few lamb shoulders a year. Obviously I think they’re great, too.

I think some of the herbs you used help keep that game flavor away. Something to do with the fat oxidizing, I think. Strong herbs like mint, rosemary, cumin, etc are usually with lamb for that reason (I’ve read)

 

[ulc]

Thanks for sharing that cook, ulc. I've never done Lamb shoulder and would like to try it. You made it look easy.

It's similar to pork shoulder. It just cooks faster since it's thinner.

Thank you for sharing. That's a killer price for lamb...around here it's about 2 to 3 times that amount per pound.

It's usually around $7-8 /lb here too. Sprouts had it on sale for $2.99 /lb a week or two back so I picked up two shoulders. I think I'm going to corn the other lamb shoulder and make lamb pastrami.

Looks awesome. I did 2 of them for the first time back in April and it was great. Mine were a little "gamier" than other lamb parts, so not sure if that is common. Made awesome tacos.

The reheated leftovers were little gamier than yesterday. Still not that bad to me. But my wife gave her portion to our puppy who ate it up and begged for more.

 

[EdF]

ulc - must be a "game" puppy! ;-)

 

[Big George's BBQ]

Looks Great to me