Slow-Cooked Lamb With Lemon

Ingredients

• 2–3 lbs lamb shoulder or lamb shank, preferably on the bone
• 1 head garlic
• 2 carrots
• 1 leek
• 1 onion
• 2 lemons
• oregano
• rosemary
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• potatoes
• yoghurt
• fresh bread
• 1 cup water

Method

Marinate the lamb the night before. Combine olive oil, lemon juice from half a lemon, oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper into a paste, then work it thoroughly into the meat — the acid begins to denature the proteins whilst the herbs perfume the flesh. Refrigerate overnight uncovered; this dries the surface slightly, which helps browning later.

The next day, heat your oven to 190°C. This braising temperature sits low enough to convert connective tissue into gelatin without toughening the muscle fibres, a process that demands patience but repays it in silken, yielding meat. Peel the garlic cloves but leave them whole — they'll soften into the braising liquid without breaking apart. Cut the carrots, leek, onion and potatoes into rough 5cm chunks; their job is to create aromatics that flavour the braise and support the meat above the liquid so it doesn't stew in its own juices.

Arrange the lamb in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, nestling the vegetables underneath and around it. Pour in any remaining marinade and a cup of water — the liquid should come roughly halfway up the meat, not submerge it. Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven for 2½ to 3 hours. The low, steady heat will render the fat slowly; you'll know it's working when the surface of the liquid trembles gently and wisps of steam escape the lid. Check once at the midpoint; if the liquid has reduced to less than a finger's depth, add water in small increments to prevent the bottom from catching.

In the final 20 minutes, remove the lid. The exposed meat will brown slightly where it meets the air, developing deeper colour and flavour through the Maillard reaction. The meat is ready when it pulls apart with minimal resistance — a fork should shred it cleanly, not require a knife.

Pour the cooking liquid into a separate vessel and skim the surface fat if you prefer a cleaner finish, though that fat carries flavour — this is your gravy. Tear the lamb into rough pieces, pile it onto plates with the vegetables, and finish with a dollop of yoghurt and warm bread for soaking up the braise.