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Coffee-Braised Spoon Lamb





Yields
Serves 8



Total Time
6 hrs 15 mins

Time: 6 1/4 hours. Spoon lamb gets its name from the texture of the meat when it's finished cooking: so tender, you can cut it with a spoon. This long, slow cooking technique benefits leg of lamb, typically a tough cut, and the acidity of the coffee offsets the richness of the meat. The sauce made from the drippings begs for polenta or potatoes.

Coffee-Braised Spoon Lamb




Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Randy Mon
 6 garlic cloves, divided
 1 bone-in leg of lamb (about 7 lbs.), trimmed of outside fat
  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
 1 large onion, quartered
 4 large carrots, cut into chunks
 2 shallots, peeled
 1 tomato, quartered
 1/4 cup olive oil
 1 cup dry red wine
 3 cups freshly brewed strong coffee, divided
 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Step 1
1

Preheat oven to 400°. Mince 2 garlic cloves and rub onto lamb, spreading evenly. Generously sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Put lamb on a V-shaped rack in a large roasting pan. Surround rack with onion, carrots, shallots, tomato, and remaining 4 garlic cloves. Drizzle olive oil over vegetables and lamb.

Step 2
2

Roast 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and cook another 30 minutes.

Step 3
3

Reduce heat to 250°. Transfer lamb to a plate and lift rack from pan. Set the roasting pan on a burner over high heat, add wine, and boil, using a wide metal spatula to stir and scrape caramelized vegetables from bottom of pan, until wine has reduced by half. Stir in 2 cups coffee. Remove from heat. Set lamb back in pan (without rack); spoon juices over it. Cover tightly with foil.

Step 4
4

Return to oven and cook until lamb is tender and pulling away from the bone, about 5 hours, turning lamb once halfway through cooking.

Step 5
5

Transfer lamb to a platter and cover with foil. Reheat remaining 1 cup coffee and pour with liquid and vegetables from pan into a blender, working in batches if needed. Pulse until smooth. Pour sauce through a strainer set over a bowl, using the back of a spoon or ladle to push it through if needed. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Pour half of sauce over lamb and serve the rest in a bowl. Sprinkle lamb with parsley.

Step 6
6

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 0

Amount Per Serving
Calories 469Calories from Fat 42
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 22g34%

Saturated Fat 6.2g31%
Cholesterol 170mg57%
Sodium 156mg7%
Total Carbohydrate 10g4%

Dietary Fiber 0.0g0%
Protein 55g111%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.