Time to get my personal prejudices on the table – I have never enjoyed watching Gordon Ramsay on the television – but I really do like some of his recipes! There you are – all out in the open! This recipe is a perfect example! We have modified it very slightly to cook on the Big Green Egg. Additionally, as I really don’t think it benefits at all from the addition of chilli flakes, these have been omitted from our cook. The recipe below includes chilli as on option. We have included a link to Ramsay’s original recipe and YouTube video (1).
I really love working with these secondary cuts of meat that need to be cooked slowly and in doing so can take on such bold flavours. In addition they are often relatively inexpensive – this is a real case in point. The recipe was based round a 750g rolled lamb breast. It was picked up at our local supermarket reduced from £4.70 to £2.29!! A true bargain – though even at full price it would have been excellent value!
The first thing to do was unroll the piece so that we could add additional flavours to the inside of the joint. The roll had been made up from 2 separate pieces, again illustrating the versatility of this cut. 
It was laid out on a cutting board and seasoned generously with salt on both sides. 
This was followed by the dried oregano, lemon zest and anchovies. The ingredients for the dish gave it a very Provençal feel. From our experience chilli is not used to any great extent in Provence and so we omitted the chilli flakes that were suggested in the original recipe.
So time to re-roll the meat. We used some small elastic poultry bands to hold it together. These work so well on small cuts of meat like this as well as on poultry! If you don’t have any to hand, then a conventional butcher’s string tie at each end and one in the middle would be fine.
We did the first part of the cook in one of our handless Tefal pans. This could be done directly on the BGE or on a conventional hob. The pan was heated and some olive oil added. The lamb was then rolled around the pan until it took on some good colours all over. As the outer layer shrinks a little as it cooks, the inside seems to squeeze out of the middle as in the picture. Don’t worry about this as it will largely correct itself in the second part of the cook. Whilst the meat browned, the onions were cut into large chunks (as it was going to be a slow cook and we don’t want them to disappear into the cooking sauce). 
The meat was set aside, a little more oil was added, and the onion put straight into the same pan to fry with the partially crushed garlic. The capers were then popped in with the onions and cooked through, followed by a little more lemon zest. The pan was then deglazed with white wine and a good squeeze of lemon juice. The final addition was the tinned tomatoes which were gently crushed and stirred into the mix. The rolled lamb was then placed on top and we were ready to go.
If cooking indoors this needs to be covered with a lid or a foil top to prevent too much liquid loss. It can then be placed in the oven on 170C for 2 – 2.5 hours. 
We were cooking in the Big Green Egg which had been set up for indirect cooking at around 140C. Cooking in the EGG this way we usually leave the dish uncovered. Very occasionally the liquid may need to be topped up a little with some water.
At this temperature I would expect to cook for 3-4 hours until the meat core temperature was between 88-93C. At this point the meat would be very tender but not quite at the stage you might have for pulled lamb. It is however perfect for slicing.
After about 3 hours – the lamb was lifted out and the sauce stirred to check on the consistency. It really didn’t need any more liquid so the lamb was popped back in and left to complete the cook.
When the core was around 90C the meat was removed and allowed to rest prior to carving. At this point the final consistency of the sauce can be checked.
When ready to serve, carefully remove the bands or butchers string and carve into generous slices. These can be served directly on the sauce. We also added some French beans from the garden – well it is a Provençal dish!!
We will be doing it again ……………
………………… do give it a go!!
References (1) Gordon Ramsay’s Braised Stuffed Lamb’s Breast – https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VaWYE8dvDGk
Mediterranean stuffed lamb breast
Slow braised lamb belly flavoured with anchovies and cooked in a rich Mediterranean sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lamb breast (around 750g)
- Salt
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- (1/2 tsp chilli flakes - included in the original recipe but not here)
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 15g anchovies
- Olive oil
- 2 onions, sliced thickly
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed but not crushed
- 1 tbs capers
- 1 handful black olives
- 1 glass white wine
- 1 tin plum tomatoes
Directions
- Step 1 Unroll the lamb breast and lay it out on a cutting board. Season generously with salt on both sides. On the inside surface add the dried oregano, lemon zest and anchovies. (if you wish to add chilli flakes add these here too), Re-roll the meat and tie or use small elastic poultry bands to hold it together.
- Step 2 Put a frying pan on your heat source (Kamado or hob). Add some olive oil and roll the lamb around the pan until it takes on some good colours all over.
- Step 3 Cut the onions into large chunks. She meat aside, add a little more oil and the onion put straight into the same pan to fry with the partially crushed garlic. Add. the capers and cook through, followed by a little more lemon zest.
- Step 4 Deglazed the pan with white wine and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Add the tinned tomatoes and gently crush and stir into the mix. Place the rolled lamb on top and we were ready to go.
- Step 5 If cooking on a Kamado like the BGE set up for indirect cooking at around 140C. (If cooking indoors this needs to be covered with a lid or a foil top to prevent too much liquid loss. It can then be placed in the oven on 170C for 2 – 2.5 hours.)
- Step 6 On the BGE, leave the dish uncovered and cook for 3-4 hours until reach a core temp of between 88-93C. After around 3 hours, lift out the lamb, stir the sauce and check on consistency. Add water if necessary. Once the core reaches around 90C remove the meat and allow rest before carving Check the final consistency of the sauce and modify if necessary.
- Step 7 When ready to serve, remove the bands or butchers string and carve into generous slices. Serve directly on the sauce.
