Smoked Moroccan Lamb Shoulder

Difficulty:
1/5

Ease of preparation rating: Medium

Yield: 8 servings

 

INGREDIENTS:

6 lbs (2.75 kg) bone-in lamb shoulder
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
2 cups (480 ml) apple juice, for drip pan
4 cups (1 L) apple woodchips, soaked in water for 1 hour
2 cups (480 ml) dry apple woodchips

Rub
1 tablespoon (15 ml) ground cumin
1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground coriander seeds
1 teaspoon (5 ml) ginger powder
1 teaspoon (5 ml) onion powder
1 teaspoon (5 ml) cinnamon
1 teaspoon (5 ml) sweet paprika
1 teaspoon (5 ml) turmeric
2 tablespoons (30 ml) brown sugar
1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground black pepper

Apricot Sauce
½ cup (120 ml) diced dried apricots
½ cup (120 ml) apricot preserves
½ cup (120 ml) boiling water
½ orange zested and juiced
1/8 teaspoon (0.5 ml) salt

To serve
½ cup (120 ml) flat leaf parsley, chopped

METHOD:

For the rub, add ground cumin, ground coriander seeds, ginger powder, onion powder, cinnamon, sweet paprika, turmeric, brown sugar, salt, and ground black pepper to a bowl and stir until combined.
Drizzle lamb shoulder with olive oil and massage with the rub.

Place lamb in a large freezer bag or non-reactive bowl topped with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for a minimum of 5 hours or overnight.
Remove lamb from the fridge ½ hour before barbequing.
To make a smoke pouch, place ½ cup (120 ml) of dry wood chips on a large sheet of aluminum foil; mix in 1 cup (240 ml) of wet chips until evenly distributed. Close the foil up loosely and make a sealed pouch. Pierce the pouch in several spots, top and bottom. Repeat to make 4 pouches in total.
Prepare grill for indirect cooking by placing one smoke pouch under one side of the grate and a drip pan under the other side of the grate.
Preheat the side of the grill with the smoke pouch to 400 F (205 C). The other half of the grill remains unheated.
Close lid and wait for smoke.
Once you start to see smoke, lower the heat to 220 F (105 C).
Place lamb on unheated side of the grill, over the drip pan.
Pour 1 cup of apple juice into the drip pan.
Close lid and cook for 1 hour per pound of lamb.
Replenish apple juice in drip pan as necessary.
Replace smoke pouch about every hour and a half or when smoke dissipates.

For the Apricot Sauce, add dried apricots, apricot preserves, boiling water, zest and juice of 1 orange, and salt to a food processor and blend until smooth.

When lamb is cooked through, remove from grill.
Cover lamb with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Slice and drizzle with Apricot Sauce and chopped parsley.

Note: Cooking times and temperatures will vary depending on the size and type of your barbeque.