Slow-roasted lamb question

[Joolee1980]

I've seen on TV and read recipes for slow-roasted shoulder of lamb. The general method seems to be: put oven on maximum, put the lamb shoulder in (having marinated in olive oil, rosemary and garlic) then turn it down to quite low, about 110-130 C, and leave for 3-4 hours. The recipes and TV shows always show the lamb falling apart when ready, you can pull it apart with a fork, and the bone just slides out.

But I've done this twice now, exactly as described, and it hasn't fallen apart like that. I can still carve it okay and it tastes fine, and I leave it to rest after taking it out, but I want it to be soft and tender and come apart like on telly! Why won't it do that?! What might I be doing wrong?

Each of the two times, I've used a different oven, both of which usually work fine so I don't think it can be that. Has anyone here done this successfully?

[bizzylizzy]

Did you wrap the roasting tin tightly in foil?

The way I do it is. I rub with the Lamb oil and add garlic, rosemary or whatever I fancy. Then I put the lamb in a hotish oven for 15-20 minutes to brown. You could also brown in a frying pan to seal it if you like. . Then the trick is, to put a layer of foil over the lamb in the roasting dish. Make sure the foil is tightly wrapped around the edges of the dish so that no steam can escape. Turn the temperature right down as in your recipe and leave it to cook long and slow - the more time you give it the better ... depends if you can afford the electricity/gas :-). You can turn the lamb if you want then, but only once and always reseal it very tightly in the roasting dish. It should be so tender after that, it will fall apart. You can also wrap it in the foil to rest for after cooking. I hope that helps.

[Joolee1980]

Thanks bizzylizzy but yes i did use foil. The only difference being that I put the foil on to start with and yes I tightly wrapped it, also kept it wrapped to rest. It was a small joint, enough for tow, and i did it at about 110/120C for 4 hours. It was browned through so I was wary of leaving it longer. I don't understand why it didn't fall off the bone; perhaps I should have swallowed my wariness and left it for another hour or two.

[marval]

http://www.theanswerb.../Question1010832.html

[woozer]

I would have thought it would be falling off the bone in 3 hours if it is only just big enough for two. I put mine in an oval roasting tin with a lid on top of some onion celery and carrot with about half a pint of liquid (cider is nice) sometimes dust with ginger and honey - stick it in the oven at about 150 for 3hours - should be falling apart - skim off the fat blitz the veg into the juices and use as gravy