March/April 2010
Serves four
Mr. McDowell buys a whole lamb, preferring an animal between 50 to 80 pounds, which serves 40 people. (You can also use a combination of lamb cuts.) He suggests taking a trip to a St. Louis–area farmer's market, to which a couple of farmers of merit provide wonderful, fresh, mindfully raised lamb.
- 6 pounds lamb (maybe a mixture of shoulder and leg), bone-in
- 1 onion, large
- 2 stalks celery
- 1 carrot
- 1 parsnip (if available)
- 1 fennel bulb
- 12 large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 3 tomatoes, large
- Salt
- Pepper
- Red wine (something cheap and balanced)
- Chicken stock
- Olive oil
Preheat oven to 300. Put cast-iron or enameled-covered casserole dish on stove to preheat as well. (These retain heat and humidity; any covered pot will do fine.)
Season lamb surface aggressively with salt and pepper. Let stand.
Cut onion, celery, carrot, parsnip, and fennel into dime-sized pieces, to be puréed later to serve as the sauce's thickening agent.
Add oil to preheated casserole and sear lamb on all sides, creating a browned crust. Remove, and set aside.
While casserole is still hot, add all cut vegetables, including garlic, and stir. Place lid on casserole and cook, covered, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until vegetables are soft and slightly browned.
Add red wine and cook until it is reduced by 75 percent.
Add tomatoes. (Always add these after wine for more control of the acid and quicker cook time.)
Return meat to casserole atop the vegetable mixture, and cover with chicken broth. Replace lid, and place in oven for 3 to 4 hours, or until meat is tender. (Time varies depending on the size of the cuts of meat used.)
Remove and cool to room temperature. When cool, remove meat from bone, and place in suitable casserole dish. Make sure no bones or connective tissues remain.
Pour cooking liquid through a large strainer, then a small one, making sure to press enough pulp through to thicken sauce.
Pour over meat and let chill fully, as the meat will absorb all the juice it can. Remember: Pot roast tastes better the next day, so for best results, prepare dish a day in advance.
