Pasta Madness

Port-Braised Lamb Ragu with Shallots & Rosemary

Serve with:

Ingredients

  • 2½- to 3-pound (1.1- to 1.5-kg) bone-in lamb shoulder roast
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 sprigs fresh rosemary, divided
  • 6 sprigs fresh thyme, divided
  • 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound (450 grams; 8 to 10 large) shallots, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons (30 grams) tomato paste
  • 2 cups (500 ml) ruby port
  • 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken stock, plus more as needed
  • 1½ cups (360 ml) tomato purée (passata)
  • 2 bay leaves

Directions

  1. Pat the lamb dry with paper towels, then season it generously all over with salt and pepper. Use a sharp knife to score the fat side in a crisscross pattern. Place the meat, fat side up, in a deep container or baking dish and scatter half of the rosemary, half of the thyme, and all the garlic on top and bottom. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  2. Let the lamb stand at room temperature for 1 hour, then wipe away the herbs and garlic (remove as much as you can so they don’t burn when browning the meat). Tie the remaining rosemary and thyme sprigs together with butcher’s twine if you have some. Heat the oven to 325°F/160°C.
  3. Coat the bottom of a large Dutch oven with a little oil and turn the heat to medium-high. Carefully add the lamb, fat side down, and sear until browned and a crust forms, about 6 minutes. Flip the meat and cook until golden, 3 to 5 minutes more, reducing the heat as needed to prevent scorching. Transfer to a plate. Turn off the heat and move the pot to the side to cool for a moment.
  4. Add the shallots to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and return the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring often and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until very tender and jammy, about 15 minutes.
  5. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until caramelized, about 2 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high. Pour in the port and simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes, again scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  6. Stir in the stock and tomato purée, then return the meat to the pot, fat side up. Nestle the tied herbs and bay leaves around the lamb. Bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat and cover.
  7. Roast the lamb in the oven, checking on it and basting the top every hour or so, until very tender, about 3 hours (for smaller roasts, check around 2 hours 45 minutes). If the pot looks dry, add more stock.
  8. When it’s done, remove the herbs and bay leaves and transfer the meat to a cutting board. Allow to rest, tented with foil, for 15 minutes. Pull the meat from the bone (remove the fat) and shred it with two forks. Add it back to the pot and mix everything together. Season to taste—you might not need any salt.
  9. Cook your pasta of choice to your liking. Warm the sauce over medium heat, transfer the pasta directly to the ragù (or drain it first and reserve 1 cup (240 ml) pasta cooking water), and toss to combine. Continue to cook the pasta in the sauce until well coated, 1 to 2 minutes, using cooking water to loosen as needed. Divide the pasta among bowls and serve.

Note: Depending on the cut of meat, this recipe can make a lot of sauce, so scoop some out and reserve for another use if needed.

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