Southern Lamb Barbecue (for Sandwiches)

Total Time: 8 hrs 30 mins
Preparation Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 8 hrs

Ingredients

• 10 -12 lbs lamb roast (2 shoulder or butt roasts, about 5-6 pounds each, bone-in)


• 1/8 cup lamb seasoning ("rub", see directions)


• 8 tablespoons butter, melted


• 20 ounces barbecue sauce (i use sweet baby ray's brand)


• water

Recipe

• 1 rub the roasts on all sides with the meat rub. if you don't have one already, try: spicy rib rub for lamb roast. commercial rubs are also available and work just fine.


• 2 on a gas or charcoal grill, over high heat, sear/brown the roasts on all sides (10-15 minutes total).


• 3 after roasts have been seared, place them in a large roaster pan, elevating them above the bottom of the pan with a small grill or with oven-proof plates. pour 12 ounces of water into the bottom of the roasting pan. top the roasts with the melted butter.


• 4 in an oven pre-heated to 275°f, allow the roasts to bake, covered, for 6 hours. at the end of 3 hours, turn the roasts.


• 5 at the end of the 6 hours, check the roasts for tenderness. the bone should freely release from the meat when done. if the roast is still rubbery, allow it to continue to roast, covered, for up to 2 more hours.


• 6 when the roasts are tender, allow them to cool on a platter and then de-bone and de-fat the meat. break up all pieces of meat. place the meat in a large cooking pot, add about 4 ounces of water and bring to a simmer.


• 7 just as the meat begins to re-heat, start adding barbecue sauce a little at a time, stirring it in carefully. when it gets enough barbecue flavor, stop adding sauce! it's easy to add too much and you may not need the full 20 ounces, depending on your own personal tastes.


• 8 serve on good sandwich buns, topped with coleslaw.


• 9 note: it is important to use the cheaper, bone-in type lamb roasts rather than, say, lamb loin. the bone-in roasts have triple the flavor and the higher fat content aids in achieving tenderness. also, be aware that the roasts labeled "lamb butt" are actually lamb shoulder--that's the roast that you want.