Shoulder at 70 degrees: Barbecue

The everyday roasting joint of the sheep: enough fat and collagen to stay juicy for hours, large enough to feed a table. Bone-in holds shape; boneless rolls for even slicing. This is the cut behind most weekend lamb roast traditions. Low oven, long time. Cover for the first half if the surface browns too fast.

Look for even fat cover; young lamb (under a year) stays milder than mutton. Colour, sinew, where the fat sits, and thickness are what you check before you pay. Ask for the thickness that matches “Barbecue.” Use 70 degrees and 70 when you cook. Salt after you know the job. Do not play with undercooked meat.

Cook Shoulder to 70 degrees and serve it as “Barbecue.” The other figure to watch is 70. Do not time a hard-working muscle like a thin steak. Colour before heat is not doneness. A thick fat cap bastes the meat as it renders — do not trim it bare before roasting. A cut’s grain comes from how much the muscle worked. Shoulder needs heat through to 70 degrees before “Barbecue” makes sense. 70 is a stage of that heat, not a luxury score. The same cut becomes a stew, a grill, or a braise, so a steak minute does not cover a pot. Thick connective tissue wants time, not a hard sear alone. This is not medical advice.