Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Rosemary-Pancetta Paste

Cheap Eats, Family Meal, Great Leftovers

Cuts of lamb, such as the shoulder and breast, that have rich, deep flavor and ample fat are delicious when well-done. You can serve the lamb with a pan sauce, if you like (see Cook’s Notes). I like to accompany this dish with cannellini or flageolet beans cooked with sage and garlic.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

ROSEMARY-PANCETTA PASTE: 

• 8 garlic cloves, peeled
• ¼ pound pancetta, diced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 3- to 4-pound boned and rolled lamb shoulder roast
• White Beans with Sage

WHITE BEANS WITH SAGE

• 1 pound (2½ cups) dried white beans, such as cannellini or flageolet, picked over and rinsed
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 12 fresh sage leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

ROSEMARY-PANCETTA PASTE: 

1. With the motor running, drop the garlic through the feed tube of a food processor and pulse until chopped. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the pancetta, rosemary, and pepper and pulse several times to form a paste.
2. Trim the lamb of excess fat. Make ½-inch-deep gashes 1 to 2 inches long at an angle all over the surface of the meat, taking care not to cut any of the strings. Fill each gash with some of the rosemary-pancetta paste. Smear the remaining paste over the surface of the roast. (The meat can be wrapped in plastic wrap and
   refrigerated overnight. Let the roast sit for 1 hour at room temperature before cooking.)
3. Preheat the oven to 275°F.
4. Place the roast fat side up in a roasting pan and roast for 3 hours, until the meat registers 160°F on an instant-read thermometer. If not done, continue to roast, checking every 30 minutes. Let rest, loosely covered with aluminum foil, for 20 minutes before carving.
5. Slice the meat into thick slices. Spoon the beans into a large shallow serving bowl and top with the lamb. Drizzle any juices (or the pan sauce; see Cook’s Notes) over the top and serve.

WHITE BEANS WITH SAGE

1. Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a casserole or large saucepan. Add the beans, bring to a boil, and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the beans soak for 1 hour. Drain, discard the liquid, and return the beans to the pot.
2. Add another 3 quarts water to the beans. Bring to a boil, add the garlic, sage, bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Reduce the heat, and simmer until the beans are just tender and not falling apart (begin sampling them after 20 minutes of cooking). Drain and reserve the liquid. Discard the bay leaves and put the beans back in the pot. Stir in enough cooking liquid to keep them moist. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt and the olive oil, cover, and set aside. Gently rewarm before serving, and season to taste with more salt and pepper.

ALTERNATIVE CUTS:

• Breast of lamb (you will need about 6 pounds), bone-in lamb shoulder, or boneless or bone-in goat shoulder.

COOK’S NOTE:

• If you don’t have time to make the beans from scratch, use canned beans. Cook 1 cup chopped onions, 1 tablespoon chopped garlic, and some chopped fresh sage in olive oil until soft. Add the canned beans and some water or stock and simmer for 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• You can serve the lamb as is or make a simple pan sauce: Skim off the fat from the roasting pan and deglaze the pan juices with ½ cup dry white wine, 1 cup homemade or canned low-sodium chicken broth, and ½ chopped fresh or canned tomato. Cook the sauce until it just turns syrupy.