5 Minute Fall-apart Massaman Lamb Shoulder
This recipe is going to save you on those occasions when you need to serve a group and are pressed for time, yet still wanting to make something that looks impressive. I mean, we have a reputation to uphold, after all! š You literally just put everything in a pan, which takes all of 5 minutes, then leave it in the oven to slow roast for 4 hours. And what comes out is extraordinary. The lamb meat is succulent fall-apart tender, swimming in a to-die-for massaman curry sauce with soft potatoes that literally melt in your mouth. Plus, it can be made the day before because it reheats 100% perfectly (canāt say that about most roasts!) and itās kid friendly because Massaman curry isnāt spicy.
Cynical? Donāt blame you!
If it sounds too good to be true ā I donāt blame you for being cynical! This recipe works very specifically because itās slow-roasted (allows time for the sauce and meat to develop flavour), weāre using lamb meat (more flavourful than chicken, pork and beef) and because weāre using a richly flavoured curry sauce as the braising liquid. Need more proof? Head over to the Massaman Lamb Shanks. Same method. Glowing reviews!
Ingredients in Massaman Lamb Shoulder
A shortcut in this recipe is that we use store bought curry paste. In fact, homemadeĀ Massaman CurryĀ paste doesnāt work for this recipe because itās too fresh! We need the concentrated flavour of store bought. Also, as mentioned above, using lamb here is a deliberate choice. In fact, traditional Massaman Curry is made with beef but I opt for lamb because itās a stronger flavoured meat.
1. Lamb shoulder
Lamb shoulder is a cut of lamb that needs to be cooked long and slow to give the tough meat fibres time to break down and become tender. You canāt cook shoulder to blushing pink like a traditional Lamb Leg, itās just too tough.
2. THE CURRY PART
Massaman Curry pasteĀ ā Maesri is my preferred brand. Not all curry pastes are made equal! More on this below. Cinnamon and star aniseĀ ā Flavour boost of two dominant spices in Massaman curry paste. Coconut milkĀ ā As used in traditionalĀ Massaman Curry sauce. Look for a coconut milk that is at least 80% coconut! Very economical brands can be as low as 30% which barely taste of coconut. I use Ayam (89%). Chicken stock/brothĀ ā To create volume to make a braising liquid to mostly submerge the lamb, as well as adding depth of flavour into the sauce.Ā A shortcut ā traditional MassamanĀ Curry is made by braising pieces of beef in liquid to make a homemade stock which is used for the sauce.Get low-sodium so your sauce doesnāt end up too salty. (Though it wonāt be a disaster if you donāt get low sodium as the giant hunk of lamb + potatoes will absorb the salt). Potato and onionĀ ā traditionally included in traditional Massaman Curry. Use whole baby potatoes, around 3cm/1.2ā³ wide is ideal, so they hold together and become beautifully soft and creamy inside. ā ļø Do not use cubes of cut potato as they will disintegrate and make the sauce grainy!
3. Maesri curry paste
Here is the undisputed king of all store bought Thai curry pastes ā Maesri. Restaurants use it, chefs use it, and food obsessed people like myself are mad for it. Get low-sodium so your sauce doesnāt end up too salty. (Though it wonāt be a disaster if you donāt get low sodium as the giant hunk of lamb + potatoes will absorb the salt). And it happens to be sold at regular grocery stores and itās the cheapest (currently ~$2.00). I use itĀ for all my Thai curries when I donāt have time / ingredients to make the curry paste from scratch āĀ Red,Ā GreenĀ and traditionalĀ Massaman beefĀ curry. And any other recipe calling for a dollop or two of curry paste, from the peanut dipping sauce for Thai Satay Chicken to Thai Coconut Pumpkin Soup to Red Curry Pot Roast Chicken!
Where to find Maesri curry paste ā At your local grocery store! Itās sold at most metropolitan Coles andĀ WoolworthsĀ grocery stores in Australia (Asian section), at Harris Farms, practically all Asian stores (it would be un-Asian not to carry it!) and here it is online inĀ the US,Ā Canada* andĀ UK. Canāt find it? Use any Massaman Curry paste you can find. My personal order of preference (Aussie brands) ā Ayam, Five Tastes and bringing up the rear is Volcom (itās always too sweet).
- Obscenely expensive, please try to get to an Asian store!
How to make Massaman Lamb Shoulder
2 easy steps -put everything into a pan, bake 4 hours! You can also use your slow cooker ā see recipe notes.
Serving styles
An odd-sounding heading perhaps, but it will make sense once I explain! Here are the 3 ways I have served this lamb in the past few months (itās been regularly used since I invented it, so handy for groups): š”If making ahead to reheat tomorrow, use a ceramic, glass or enamel coated cast iron baking dish rather than a metal one. I typically try to avoid keeping foods in any type of metal pans overnight. Just to be cautious! Scatter the onion, cinnamon, star anise and potatoes around the lamb. Sauce adjustments ā If you donāt have enough sauce when you remove the foil, just add water before browning the lamb. If thereās too much / too thin, just pop the pan back into the oven without the lamb (once browned). Itās so easy to adjust! Making ahead? After browning, let it fully cool uncovered then refrigerate overnight. On the day of, just reheat it in the oven covered for 1 hour. See recipe notes for directions! š”If you refrigerated overnight, you can lift sheets of the fat off the surface of the sauce but be sure to scrape all the sauce off the underside!
What to serve with Massaman Lamb Shoulder
Rice is essential, for sauce soaking. Jasmine is my first pick (being Thai and all) though basmati is beautiful with it too, given the Indian influence of Massaman curry. They both have a slight perfume of flavour that goes so well with this dish but Iām sure nobody would snob other rice types on offer! š Iād suggest opting for a light and fresh side salad as this dish is quite rich. Itās pictured above with an Asian Slaw on the side. Some more suggestions: Leafy Asian salad, Changās Crispy Noodle Salad, Smashed Cucumber Salad, Japanese Slaw, Glass Noodle Salad (skip the chicken), or any fresh vegetables/salady things / blanched greens you want tossed with my simple 4 ingredient Asian Sesame Dressing. Enjoy! ā Nagi x
Watch how to make it
It reheats 100% perfectly which is a unique feature here because itās rare that a āroastā style dish to be able to be reheated without loss of quality. For example, I would never do that with a lamb rack or prime rib! But itās ok!! Just add hot water ā all the flavour is still in the pan, itās just massively concentrated. If you have almost sauce, add 2 cups of water. You can keep tweaking at the end too ā add more water if the sauce looks / tastes too strong, if thereās too much sauce because you added too much water then put the pan without the lamb back in the oven to reduce (itās quick). See the video for how much sauce you should end up with! I once made my 12 hour lamb shoulder using a bone-in and boneless lamb shoulder and compared the weight of the lamb meat after roasting. The difference is extraordinary ā the bone in lamb meat retains about 20% more juices so the meat is far more succulent. See in post for why this recipe works even though itās so easy. Also ā roasting temp. Starting with a 1 hour high heat blast is key for this recipe, it cuts the total roasting time down by an hour.
Lamb shoulder is a firm favourite for entertaining
See?
Life of Dozer
If you told me 10 years ago Iād be sitting on the floor of a shopping centre with a dog watching a lightwall until the advert for my book signing came up, Iād have looked at you like Iām crazy. Instead, people were looking at me like Iām crazy!! š Hereās a fun little video I put together of Dozerās visit to Warringah Mall yesterday to check out our lightwall! Truthfully, I was a little disappointed. I was secretly hoping for a giant photo of Dozer. I know, I know, Iām such an ungrateful brat! š
