Brown Sugar and Rosemary Rubbed Lamb Shoulder by Chef Josh Feathers

Brown Sugar and Rosemary Rubbed Lamb Shoulder with Buckwheat Späetzle, Spring Peas and Mushrooms

Brown Sugar and Rosemary Rubbed Lamb Shoulder

Ingredients:

• 1 5-6 lb lamb shoulder
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 6 sprigs rosemary, minced
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 medium cloves/minced shallots
• 3 Tablespoons port wine
• Kosher salt
• Fresh cracked black pepper 

To make:
Preheat an oven to 250ºF. Combine all ingredients and marinate lamb whole for 24 hours. To cook, set a smoker to cold smoke at 150ºF. Season the lamb liberally with kosher salt and black pepper. Place in the smoker and smoke for 20 minutes, making sure that the temp does not exceed 150ºF.

Next, place the lamb on a roasting rack, drape with foil, place into the oven and cook to a internal temperature of 130ºF, roughly one hour. Remove from the oven and let the shoulder rest for 30 minutes before slicing.

Garnish each slice of lamb with mushroom spread.

Buckwheat Späetzle

Ingredients:

• ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup buckwheat flour 
• ¼ cup yogurt
• 3 Tablespoons whole grain mustard
• 2 eggs 
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 
• 1 pinch freshly ground white pepper 
• ½ teaspoon salt 
• Spring vegetables: mushrooms, peas, ramps, Spring onions

To make:
Mix together flour, salt, white pepper and nutmeg. Beat eggs well, and add alternately with the milk to the dry ingredients. Mix until smooth.

Press dough through späetzle maker, a large-holed sieve or metal grater. Drop a few at a time into simmering liquid. Cook 5 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Sauté cooked spätzle in a hot sauté pan to just brown. Add thyme, Spring peas and roasted mushrooms along with either pickled or fresh ramps to the späetzle, and heat through. Season with kosher salt and black pepper.