Apple-Smoked Tandoori Pulled Lamb

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A boneless lamb shoulder gets a thick yogurt-and-garam-masala coat, then spends the day over apple wood at 250°F until it pulls apart in soft, spice-crusted shreds. The rub is five pantry spices stirred into yogurt, the smoker does everything else, and you finish with butter, lemon and coriander. Pile it into warm naan or over rice.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 6 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
• 2 tbsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder (or sweet paprika plus 1/2 tsp cayenne)
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

• 4 lb boneless lamb shoulder, tied
• 4 chunks apple wood smoking chunks
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 whole lemon, juiced
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped

Instructions

1. Stir the yogurt, garlic, ginger, garam masala, Kashmiri chilli, cumin, salt and pepper together in a bowl until it looks like a thick paste. Pat the lamb shoulder dry and smear the paste over every surface, working it into the folds. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or overnight for deeper flavour.
2. Take the lamb out of the fridge 45 minutes before cooking. Set your smoker to a steady 250°F (120°C) and add 3 apple wood chunks to the coals or wood tray; apple gives a mild, sweet smoke that suits the spices without fighting them.
3. Place the lamb fat side up directly on the grate. Smoke uncovered for about 4 hours, adding the last wood chunk after the first hour, until the outside is a deep mahogany crust and the internal temperature in the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C).
4. Lay out two long sheets of heavy-duty foil, sit the lamb in the middle, dot the top with the butter and wrap tightly into a sealed parcel, keeping the juices in.
5. Return the parcel to the smoker and cook for a further 2 to 2 1/2 hours at 250°F, until the internal temperature reaches 203°F (95°C) and a probe slides into the meat with no resistance.
6. Leave the lamb wrapped and rest it in a cool oven or a towel-lined cooler for 45 minutes. This is not optional: it lets the meat relax and reabsorb the juices.
7. Open the foil over a bowl so nothing is lost, pull the lamb into big shreds with two forks and toss with the buttery juices, the lemon juice and the chopped coriander. Taste and add a little more salt before serving.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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