Mediterranean Smoked Lamb Shoulder with Tzatziki
Today I’m making a smoked lamb shoulder that I was inspired to prepare after reading a new cookbook, The Palestinian table by Reem Kassis. I read through each recipe and was intrigued by the unique spices and fresh ingredients. I also have been enjoying unusually warm summer weather for Ireland and have been craving barbeque. Normally when you think barbeque it is pulled pork, ribs or brisket; rarely lamb. I thought about the amazing quality of Irish lamb and decided to combine the fundamentals of a mediterranean spice mix with the salt and brown sugar base of a good bbq rub. I ordered my first spice grinder and the ingredients needed to make the nine spice mix and went to town. To serve with it I made a tzatziki and a basic side salad with romaine lettuce and some fresh tomatoes. I hope you enjoy this recipe, for me it turned out great!
Get your cucumber, dill, mint, garlic, lemons, greek yoghurt and olive oil together and set up your workstation.
Peel the cucumber and use a spoon to remove the seeds. Set the edge of the spoon between the seeds and the meat of the cucumber and just slide down the cucumber.
Chop the dill, mint, garlic and cucumber. Zest the lemons into the bowl.
Most tzatziki recipes call for the cucumber to be shredded for a smoother texture. I made the recipe more chunky because it adds a nice, crisp texture contrast to go with the lamb.
Add the greek yoghurt and fold the ingredients together adding the olive oil at the end.
Toasting spices and grinding them gives you an incredible flavor that just cannot be matched by store bought ground spices.
Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Place all ingredients into a pan and toast until fragrant, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon to avoid burning (about 10 minutes). Set aside and allow to cool completely. Once cool, place the toasted ingredients into a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. Store in an airtight container.
Mix the nine spice mix with the brown sugar and salt.
Rub the mixture all over the lamb shoulder, making sure to get into the crevices.
Place the shoulder in a sealed container, refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
Set up your smoker, add the wood chips and chunks and get your smoker to a steady temperature of 250 using indirect heat. I use a Green Egg and it has a special insert that keeps your meat from burning when slow smoking. I also put a pyrex baking dish onto the indirect heat insert and fill with water then put the grill over that. This keeps the meat from drying out.
Smoke for about an hour per pound or until a butter knife slides right through the middle of the meat.
Place into a metal mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rest for about an hour. Remove the butcher’s string and use a pair of steel tongs to shred the Lamb.
Serve with a side salad, naan, pita bread or even use the ingredients to make a delicious wrap.
The recipes and ingredients are both listed below. I hope you enjoy this recipe. It is very versatile and makes great leftovers.
Nine Spice Mix
INGREDIENTS
6 tablespoons allspice berries
6 cinnamon sticks
3 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
10 cloves
2 blades of mace
½ nutmeg crushed
METHOD
Heat a large frying pan over medium heat.
Place all ingredients into pan and toast until fragrant, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon to avoid burning (about 10 minutes).
Set aside and allow to cool completely.
Once cool place the toasted ingredients into a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. Store in an airtight container.
Mediteranian Smoked Lamb
INGREDIENTS
Serves: About 4
¼ cup nine spice mix
¼ cup salt
¼ cup light brown sugar
1 3 lb boned and rolled lamb shoulder
Whiskey barrel chips (about two handfuls)
3-4 applewood chunks
METHOD
Mix the nine spice mix with the brown sugar and salt.
Rub the mixture all over the lamb shoulder, making sure to get into the crevices.
Place the shoulder in a sealed container and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
Set up your smoker, add the wood chips and chunks and get your smoker to a steady temperature of 250 using indirect heat
Smoke for about an hour per pound or until a butter knife slides right through the middle of the meat.
Place into a metal mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rest for about an hour.
Remove the butcher’s string and use a pair of steel tongs to shred the lamb.
Tzatziki
INGREDIENTS
Serves: about 4
½ cucumber diced (seeds removed)
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons high quality extra virgin olive oil
2 cups greek yoghurt
1 bunch fresh dill chopped
1 bunch fresh mint chopped
About 2 tablespoons lemon zest
METHOD
Peel the cucumber and use a spoon to remove the seeds. Dice to ¼ inch pieces, add to the mixing bowl.
Chop the mint, dill and garlic. Add to the mixing bowl.
Add lemon zest.
Add greek yoghurt and fold the ingredients together, adding the olive oil last and mixing until smooth.
Place in a sealed container and refrigerate overnight.
