Stout and Espresso Gravy with Braised Bone-in Lamb Shoulder

Difficulty:
1/5

Ease of Preparation: Medium

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

Braised Lamb Shoulder:

  • 1 bone-in lamb shoulder
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
  • 1 carrot, roughly chopped
  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
  • 1 bunch rosemary
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 cup (24 ml) red wine
  • 6 cups (1.4 L) lamb stock

 

Stout and Espresso Gravy:

  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) reserved lamb fat
  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) flour
  • 1 cup (240 ml) stout beer
  • ½ cup (120 ml) espresso
  • Braising liquid from Braised Lamb Shoulder
  • Salt and pepper

Method:

For the Braised Lamb Shoulder:

Warm a large, oven-safe pot over medium high heat. Preheat oven to 250 F (120 C)

Season lamb shoulder with salt and pepper.

Add the olive oil to the pot, then carefully add the lamb shoulder, searing well all over, about 5-6 minutes per side.

Remove the shoulder to a plate and carefully ladle any rendered lamb fat into a glass dish. Reserve both.

Add the carrots, onions, celery, garlic, and rosemary to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables have coloured slightly, 2-3 minutes.

Add the red wine to the pot, stirring and scraping any browned bits off the bottom. Bring to a simmer and allow the wine to reduce by half, roughly 10-12 minutes.

Add the lamb stock and allow to return to the simmer.

Return the lamb to the pot, cover tightly and transfer to the oven for 10-12 hours.

Carefully remove the meat from the braising liquid, tent with foil, and set aside.

Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer and allow to cool to room temperature.

Remove the fat layer from the braising liquid.

For the Stout and Expresso Gravy:

Re-melt the reserved lamb fat to a saucepan set over medium heat.

Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking occasionally, until darkened and nutty smelling, about 5 minutes.

While whisking, add the beer and espresso. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 1-2 minutes, whisking occasionally.

Slowly add the reserved braising liquid to the saucepan while whisking. Return the mixture to a simmer and cook until thickened, 3-4 minutes, whisking occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

Warm the lamb shoulder in the oven for 10 minutes before pouring the gravy overtop and serving immediately.