CookEat Recipe
Braised Mutton Shoulder with Carrots
Rolled mutton shoulder larded with pork fatback, gently braised with its bones, cured pork rind and herbs, then served sliced with carrot rounds and strained juices.
Method
Steps
Step 1
Gather the ingredients: 1 mutton shoulder weighing about 1 kg before boning, with its bones reserved and chopped by the butcher; About 50 g cured pork fatback, cut into short larding strips; Salt and black pepper; 40 g butter; About 40 g cleaned cured pork or prosciutto rind; A tied bundle of 3 parsley stalks, 1 small celery stalk and 1 small carrot; 1 medium onion, peeled and left whole; 150 ml stock; 2–3 tablespoons brandy; Cold water, enough to come almost to the top of the meat in a snug casserole; 2 large carrots, peeled and left whole, for the garnish.
Step 2
Have the shoulder boned and its bones cut into manageable pieces. Keep the bones. Insert the fatback strips into small cuts through the meat, season inside and out with salt and pepper, then roll and tie securely with food-safe kitchen string. Keep raw meat and bones separate from ready-to-eat foods.
Step 3
Brown the roll on all sides in the 40 g butter in a heavy casserole, about 10–15 minutes. Add the cured rind, tied parsley-celery-carrot bundle, whole onion and reserved bones. Pour in the stock and brandy, then enough cold water to come just below the top of the meat. Bring promptly to a simmer and cover closely with a lid.
Step 4
Simmer very gently for about 4 hours, or longer if the mutton is still tough, turning occasionally and maintaining a little liquid with hot water if needed. Put the two garnish carrots into the braising liquid for about the first 25–40 minutes; lift them out as soon as tender but intact. Cool these promptly and refrigerate while the long braise continues.
Step 5
When the rolled meat is tender and its centre reaches at least 72°C, lift it out. Strain the liquid carefully, discard bones, rind, herb bundle and onion, and spoon off excess fat. Keep enough strained juice to moisten the sliced meat generously. Remove all string and slice the mutton. Cut the reserved carrots into rounds and reheat them in the simmering strained juices to 74°C throughout, then serve with the meat.
Step 6
For turnips instead of the two garnish carrots, peel and quarter about 400 g mild turnips, blanch in boiling water for about 5 minutes, drain and dice. Lightly brown in about 15 g extra butter, then simmer in some strained meat juice until tender. For fresh shelled beans instead, simmer about 300 g in water until fully tender, then finish in the strained juice. These alternative garnish quantities are estimates. A similarly prepared mutton leg may replace the shoulder with seasonings and cooking time adjusted to its weight.
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