SLOW-COOKED CRISPY LAMB, MONGOLIAN STYLE: low-fat & carb

Crowd-pleasing gutsy crispy lamb dish that's much lower-in-fat than usual... 

updated 1 May 2018

Mongolian Lamb, Crispy (Stock Photo)
Courtesy of Bing @ Copyright BBC Good Food and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence 

'I have been to Mongolia many times and (this) had a really authentic taste.' Taste

Following the recent Love British Lamb promotion, there should be plenty of reasonably priced cuts of this tender sweet meat in supermarkets. 

This recipe features that perennial favourite, Crispy Lamb.  It usually involves lamb ribs but shoulder of lamb is less fatty and easier to cook.  

The blogger didn't encounter Crispy Lamb until well into adulthood, in a European Chinatown.  The meat was gorgeous but the fat levels were through the roof.    

67's version is skinny and healthy.  

The budget-friendly Lamb Shoulder is slow cooked in an exotic cocktail of spices and liquid.  Left to cool overnight, the  (substantial) solidified fat can be easily removed.  The meat is then shredded, crisped and served wrapped in lettuce (a bit like duck pancakes)  with the reduced, thickened braising sauce and 67's low-sugar Sweet Chilli sauce.  

It's a great dish for getting raw veg into kids and for impressing guests.  A bit of planning is involved and, if you're after authentic flavours, possibly a visit to Chinatown.

The recipe includes an option for older or smaller people who might prefer the meat un-crisped.

Note: Cook the day before serving 

Cost: £10'ish
Serves: 4-6

Ingred:
   1 x 500-750 gm/18-26 oz lamb shank or shoulder
   2 inch/4cm piece of ginger
   2 garlic cloves
   4 tbsp 25-30% salt-reduced soy sauce
   1 tbsp 5-spice powder
   150 ml rice wine/dry sherry/white wine or grape juice OR
   100 ml good meat stock plus 50 ml rice wine/dry sherry/white wine/white grape juice ((67 used stock & sherry) 
   1 small red chilli, de-seeded
   1/2 tsp cinnamon
   1 star anise (opt)
   2 dried Chinese mushrooms (opt)

For Crispy Mongolian lamb: spring onions
                                        cucumber
                                        crisp lettuce
                                        oyster sauce (opt)
                                        sweet chilli dipping sauce (opt)
                   
Method:

1.  Mix all the braising ingredients together.
2.  Pour into a slow cooker 
3.  Add lamb; cover with tight-fitting lid
4.  Cook on low 6-7 hours, turning the meat every hour. (Use the cover to Direct the steam away from you) 
5. (If using a stock pot, cook on med heat 3 hours,, turning the meat every half hour.)
6. The meat is ready when tender and falling off the bone
7. Remove meat and set aside; after an hour refrigerate
8. Pour braising liquid into a jug; leave for an hour, cover & refrigerate 
9. The meat and braising liquid can stay in the fridge up to 2 days after cooking.
10. When ready to serve, remove fat from braising liquid

Then: for Mongolian Crispy Lamb

1. Preheat oven to its highest temperature
2. Put cooked lamb in a deep roasting dish on a rack; bake 20-30 mins or until top is crispy (check at 20 mins to prevent burning)
3. Meanwhile, wash lettuce; separate leaves; shake or spin dry
4. Cut cucumber into matchsticks; 
5. Shred spring onions, white & green.
6. Arrange lettuce, cucumber & onions on a large plate
7. Bring braising liquid to the boil; reduce liquid by 1/3; thicken with a slurry of one tablespoon corn starch or rice flour mixed with a tablespoon cold water.
8. Shred lamb
9. Serve wrapped in lettuce with cucumber, spring onion and braising sauce. 
10. Oyster and sweet chilli sauce are optional

For: Asian Lamb with rice

Shred cold lamb into large shards; add to a pan with some of the braising liquid and heat gently until warmed through.  Serve over hot brown or white rice with stir-fried veg on the side.  

Comment:
'This was delicious.  I have been to Mongolia many times and it had a really authentic taste.  I would only ever use British lamb though - support our farmers and cost out food miles please.'  Anonymous middle-aged woman from the North. 

Tips:

2022: Waitrose and Sainsbury's are offering decent prices on all cuts of English lamb, including economical ribs and half shoulders

                                                 More lamb on NavBar: Recipes II...

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.