First Lamb Shoulder Questions

Oldhoss · Oct 24, 2013

Went to a Middle Eastern wedding a couple weeks ago and tried lamb shoulder for the first time....now I am thinking of smoking one and have a couple questions.

Firstly - I have found a Halal meat shop that carries dry aged lamb. The shoulder I was shown had the classic dry aged look to it...so much so that I wonder if smoking it in the 250f range will lead to a dry product....even if I use a water pan. Anyone ever smoke a dry aged lamb shoulder?

Second question is what internal temperature do I pull it at? I have read that anything in the 145f to 155f is about right....will the meat pull at this stage or do I go higher? Pork shoulder and beef brisket go to 190f-210f before they pull with ease....if I do pull the lamb at 150f or so why would it pull at so low a temp?

Third question is what chamber temp should I hold for the cook? I know there can be some flexability in regards to chamber temps for other meats but must I hold to a certain range for lamb?

Thanks for any advice here guys. I have some white oak that is throwing great flavour right now so I was gonna go with that....also have hickory and cherry on hand.

Titch · Oct 31, 2013

I have no idea on what a dry aged shoulder would do, maybe marketing .but Lamb can be dry if its too lean.

I cook shoulders to feel rather than temp.
I take the lamb to just under bone pull stage then wrap in foil, back in the cooker for a few more hours, then in a cooler for up to 4 more.
Using a pan with water in it and catch any juices, pour back over it when wrapping.
Don't let the water dry out
If I took it to temp I would be hitting for 194f finished, so maybe wrap at 180f
Q temp of about240/250f
Hope this helps more than confuses.

buccaneer · Oct 31, 2013

Oldhoss said:
Went to a Middle Eastern wedding a couple weeks ago and tried lamb shoulder for the first time....now I am thinking of smoking one and have a couple questions.

Firstly - I have found a Halal meat shop that carries dry aged lamb. The shoulder I was shown had the classic dry aged look to it...so much so that I wonder if smoking it in the 250f range will lead to a dry product....even if I use a water pan. Anyone ever smoke a dry aged lamb shoulder?

Second question is what internal temperature do I pull it at? I have read that anything in the 145f to 155f is about right....will the meat pull at this stage or do I go higher? Pork shoulder and beef brisket go to 190f-210f before they pull with ease....if I do pull the lamb at 150f or so why would it pull at so low a temp?

Third question is what chamber temp should I hold for the cook? I know there can be some flexability in regards to chamber temps for other meats but must I hold to a certain range for lamb?

Thanks for any advice here guys. I have some white oak that is throwing great flavour right now so I was gonna go with that....also have hickory and cherry on hand.

I'd roast a dry aged shoulder...but, if you want to do a crazy experiment I am with you all the way!
Lets look at the obvious.
It is dry aged, and that means work has been done to intensify the flavor.
To use smoke would undo that, so if you use smoke, just use a little.
Any of those three would be delicious.
As titch said the real test will be meat doneness.

We are old school, I don't cook lownslow with thermometers.
So, use your own judgement, wiggle the bone or prod or probe, and of all the meat I've cooked I found lamb/mutton to be the most forgiving, so don't waste enegry worrying.

I've cooked and wrapped and cooked and rested in the cooler, but last time I cooked until done and tented for 40 minutes and it was sensational so I will be testing that out some more!

Garlic lemon thyme OR rosemary are wickedly good as a classic starting point.
HTH

SmokinAussie · Nov 1, 2013

I think the other two Aussies are on the money.

Thanks for the PM by the way.... I'm sorry I have not got back to you earlier... I've been busy, drunk, busy, then drunk again for quite a while this week..:heh:

With that dry aged shoulder, definately go hot and fast And like a good dry aged steak, it would be something you'd carve at medium, medium rare.

If you want pullet lamb, I would suggest hogget or mutton. The animal is older, larger, and has more intense flavour and more fat. That would be perfect for pulling in the same way a pork shoulder would be. However moisture still would remain an issue. If you are pulling, you need to forget about temp and go by feel / probe like buttah, or a little less. Then put it to bed for 2 hours minumum before pulling and add all the juices back into the meat.

Hope that helps.

Bill

buccaneer · Nov 1, 2013

If you roast it, get it off to rest at 125-130.

First Lamb Shoulder Questions

Oldhoss

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Titch

somebody shut me the fark up.

buccaneer

somebody shut me the fark up.

SmokinAussie

somebody shut me the fark up.

buccaneer

somebody shut me the fark up.

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