Ingredients:

  • 1 kg (2.2 lbs) Boneless or Bone-In Lamb Shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks, patted dry
  • 2 tsp (10 g) Coarse Sea Salt
  • 1 tsp (5 g) Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) Olive Oil (extra virgin)
  • 2 tbsp (30 g) Unsalted Butter (for searing)
  • 1 large Yellow Onion (approx. 200g), finely diced
  • 2 medium Carrots (approx. 150g), finely diced
  • 2 Celery Stalks (approx. 100g), finely diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 120 ml (½ cup) Dry Red Wine (e.g., Chianti or Merlot)
  • 700 g (25 oz) Crushed Tomatoes (ideally DOP San Marzano)
  • 240 ml (1 cup) Beef Stock (low sodium)
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) Tomato Paste
  • 2 sprigs Fresh Rosemary
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) Balsamic Vinegar
  • 500 g (1.1 lb) Dried Pappardelle Pasta
  • 3 tbsp (45 g) Reserved Pasta Cooking Water
  • 2 tbsp (30 g) Unsalted Butter (cold, cubed, for mounting)
  • Freshly Grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan Cheese (for garnish)
  • Fresh Basil or Parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions:

  1. Pat the lamb shoulder chunks completely dry and season heavily with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil and 2 tbsp butter in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the lamb chunks in batches until deep brown and crusty on all sides (about 3-4 minutes per side). Remove the lamb and set aside.
  2. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until the vegetables are soft and translucent (not browned). Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the red wine. Bring to a simmer, scraping up all the browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pot. Cook until the liquid has reduced by half (about 3-4 minutes). Return the seared lamb to the pot. Add the crushed tomatoes, beef stock, rosemary sprigs, bay leaves, and balsamic vinegar.
  4. Bring the mixture just to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting possible. Cover the pot tightly with the lid. Simmer for a minimum of 3 to 3.5 hours, or until the lamb is meltingly tender and can be shredded easily with a fork. Check occasionally to ensure it is not sticking.
  5. Remove the lamb pieces from the pot and place them on a cutting board. Discard the rosemary stems and bay leaves. Shred the lamb using two forks and return the shredded meat and any juices to the ragu. If the sauce is too thin, simmer it gently, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes until desired consistency is reached.
  6. Cook the pappardelle according to package directions in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining. Add the cold cubed butter and 3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to the ragu. Stir vigorously to emulsify the sauce. Add the drained pasta directly to the ragu pot and toss gently until fully coated. Serve immediately, topped with grated cheese and fresh herbs.