An Easy Recipe for Lamb Shoulder

With a whole lamb in the freezer, I was curious what to do with the several cuts of lamb shoulder we have on hand.

I found this recipe from a blog called Chocolate & Zucchini, written by a Parisian woman.  So, yes, the recipe is French. It’s called Epaule d’Agneau Confite et Flageolets, or Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Flageolet Beans. This is one recipe I followed to a “t” because I like it just the way it is. (Except for a modification with the beans: I used canned canellini beans to save time and added a smidge of Tuscan kale to the mixture, similar to my recipe for Tuscan Kale with Canellini Beans.)

This is a fall-apart, herb-infused, garlicky meat cut. It’s cooked in a Dutch oven (or French oven from Le Creuset), just like the Pork Roast with Carolina Gravy I made earlier this week. You just apply a rub of olive oil and herbes de Provence the night before, then put it in the Dutch oven with garlic cloves and wine before slow-cooking it several hours on low heat.

Herbes de Provence is available at  most grocery stores or gourmet food stores, or you can make your own. The brand I had was Frontier, but when it ran out I made my own based on the ingredients: thyme, rosemary, winter savory, tarragon, basil, and organic lavender flowers. Most of these are herbs I had in my garden (including the lavender) but I bought the winter savory at G.B. Russo’s.

Lamb with beans and a side salad is all you need for a savory, filling dinner that’s simple to make. Bon appetit!