Smoked Lamb Shoulder for the Jewish New Year

This year, I decided that for the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) I would smoke a boneless lamb shoulder in addition to other festive foods. What I really enjoy about my local butcher is that you ask for is what you get (if not more). My requested 5-6 pound lamb shoulder turned into 7.5 pounds. In addition, he had a great package of beef short ribs that I couldn't pass up.


Lamb:
6 pound boneless lamb shoulder roast
2 tablespoon fresh garlic
2 tablespoon fresh rosemary
2 tablespoon fresh thyme
cooking string

Mop:
1/4 cup pomegranite juice
1 tablespoon fresh garlic
3 sprigs of rosemary
3 sprigs of thyme

Rub for Beef Ribs:
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste)

Start by opening the lamb shoulder up and undoing any string that may be holding together your roast.

Combine the garlic, thyme, and rosemary

Spread the garlic/rosemary/thyme mixture all over the lamb and tie the roast again

While this was marinating, I used the rub on the ribs and made pancakes for the kids

start the smoker by taking 30 charcoal briquettes and lighting in the chimney

In the bottom of the smoker, pour charcoal making a space in the middle and add your cherry wood

When your neighbors start smelling your BBQ and come over to take a selfie

After 3 hours, I pulled the ribs off of the smoker

and sauced them before covering them and placing them in an oven to finish cooking

Take the pomegranite juice, garlic, thyme and rosemary sprigs

Every 30 minutes for next 2 hours, go and mop the lamb using the sprigs

Cook the lamb until you reach an internal temperature of 135 degrees Farenheit and allow carry over temperature to 140 degrees.

Pulled BBQ Beef Sliders

One of my favorite low and slow recipes is pulled BBQ beef. While historically this is done with brisket, I like doing it with the less expensive beef chuck roast. The last time that I made this, I served it on slider rolls, however next time I am thinking of getting mini tortillas and have them as pulled BBQ beef tacos.

Recipe:

5 pound chuck roast
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
Disposable aluminum pan

Start by lighting about 25 charcoal briquettes and setup your smoker with charcoal and wood for minion method smoking

For this smoke, I am using cherry wood 

Cut the chuck roast into large chunks and spread the rub evenly over the meat

Once the charcoal is white, pour it in the center of the charcoal and the wood

For the first 3 hours, cook the chuck roast chunks in the pan uncovered. After 3 hours, cover the pan with aluminum foil and cook for an additional 2-3 hours until the meat is fork tender

After 5.5 hours the meat looked amazing with great bark

Take the chunks and two forks and start shreadding the meat

Take 1/4 cup of the juice from the bottom of the pan and mix with 1/2 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce and mix with the shredded beef

With this BBQ, I also grilled some yellow and green squash that I marinated in olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt and black pepper and smoked some chicken

I

BBQ Beef Sliders with smoked chicken and grilled squash