Shoulder of Mutton, Whole 2.5 kg

Mutton* shoulder is a delicious alternative to lamb and has a pronounced, complex flavour. Cook long and slow with the bone-in to maximise these characteristics; this results in satisfyingly soft mutton that effortlessly melts in the mouth and leaves your dinner guests asking for more!

Chef Val inspires:
"Mutton can take a lot of complementary extra flavour from aromats whilst still allowing the taste of the meat to very much come through. Thinking of sheep on dry, Mediterranean hillsides and I like to include the very same wild herbs from the dry scrub they graze. Camomile, sage, rosemary, thyme and honey added into the pot with garlic, onions and dry white wine will make a most heavenly braise. Sharpen with a little lemon juice when the cooking is done and eat with buttered rice containing a good amount of chopped dill.

Score the shoulder and in a heavy casserole cook it Kerala-style with ginger, garlic, coconut, curry leaves and spices but namely a lot… and I mean a lot of black pepper, the heat raised with the use of green chillies. This is a joy with plenty of recipes to be found for it.

A slightly sour, white sauce made with the juices from a pot roast using white wine and vinegar is delicious. Include softened onions and most importantly capers and some of their juice. A little fresh tarragon and a tonne of chopped fresh parsley stirred in at the end is a good move.

Once the mutton shoulder bone is picked of its leftovers, chop then fry them in some of the fat until semi-crispy. This is a great addition to top pizzas carrying only a light smear of salsa di pomodoro, fresh goat’s cheese and salmoriglio... a salsa of fresh oregano pounded with sea salt and dried chilli flakes then mixed with lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil."

*By virtue of its 2+ years of age spent living wild and free on the Yorkshire Dales, our heritage breed mutton has a full and rich flavour, characterised by an entirely natural diet of grasses, herbs and heather; this unique taste is its crowning glory.