Slow-roasted mutton shoulder with garlic bean mash & gremolata
Prep
30 mins
Cook
5 hrs 30 mins
Servings
8
Difficulty
Hard
This is one of my favorite ways to cook mutton, and honestly, it couldn't be simpler. The shoulder becomes incredibly tender when left to braise low and slow, and the whole house smells amazing while it cooks. White beans are packed with fiber and protein, making this dish genuinely nourishing alongside being delicious. What I love most is that it's practically hands off once everything goes in the oven, plus mutton shoulder is usually quite affordable compared to other cuts. The bright gremolata at the end cuts through the richness beautifully, transforming something rustic into something special. Give yourself five and a half hours, and you'll have a showstopping meal that tastes like you've been cooking all day.
Ella x
Ingredients
- 11 garlic bulb
- 3 tbspolive oil
- 2 kgbone-in shoulder of mutton
- 12 x 700g jar white beans such as butter beans
- 14 rosemary sprigs
- 11 parmesan rind(optional)
- 13 bay leaves
- 11 onion thinly sliced
- 2 tbspcapers rinsed and chopped
- 2 tspsweet smoked paprika
- 2 tbsptomato purée
- 11 lemon zested and juiced
- 20 gparsley finely chopped
- 20 gmint leaves picked and finely chopped
- 13 garlic cloves crushed
- 4 tbspextra virgin olive oil
Detail level
Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Trim the top of the garlic bulb to expose the tops of the cloves and remove any excess papery skin. Put the garlic bulb in the centre of a square of foil, drizzle with 1 tsp of the olive oil and season. Wrap well and roast in the oven for 30-35 mins until softened and browned. Set aside until cool enough to touch. Alternatively, you can buy roasted garlic in a jar, use around 2-3 tbsp.
- 2
Reduce the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Heat a large, deep casserole dish over a medium-high heat. Season the mutton with salt all over, then put in the casserole, fat-side down. This will render after a few minutes, then turn the shoulder to brown on all sides. Remove the mutton to a plate, splash 2 tbsp water into the pan and scrape any browned bits from the base then pour in the beans along with their liquid. Mix in the rosemary, the parmesan rind, if using, bay leaves, onion, capers, paprika, tomato purée and the rest of the olive oil. Pour over 200ml water until the beans are just covered. Squeeze in the roasted garlic and stir well with seasoning, then nestle the mutton on top. Cover with a lid and roast in the oven for 5 hrs until tender. Alternatively, cook in a pressure cooker on high for 1 hr without the 200ml water.
- 3
Meanwhile, make the gremolata. Stir together the lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, mint, garlic and olive oil. Season to taste. Put the mutton aside on a plate to rest and fish out the parmesan rind and whole herbs and discard. Using a potato masher, mash the beans until smooth, then season to taste. You can also use a hand blender. Spread the bean mash over a large platter, then remove the bone from the mutton. Lay the mutton over the mash, then gently shred the mutton using two forks. Spoon over the gremolata to serve.
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