Slow-cooked orange wine lamb shoulder with shallots

Method

1. Score the outside of the lamb on both sides with a sharp knife to create a 3cm diamond cross-hatch through the fat, then season all over with salt and pepper. If you have time, put the meat in a baking tray and leave overnight in the fridge to intensify the flavour and keep the meat juicy.

2. Put the shallots in a large high-sided roasting tin (or casserole if you have one big enough for the lamb), then top with the thyme, followed by the lamb. Pour over the wine, scatter with the anchovies and cover tightly with foil. Cook in the oven at 160ºC/140ºC fan/gas 3 for 5 hours, turning the lamb halfway through.

3. After this time, the meat will be soft and falling off the bone. Carefully transfer the meat to a board or platter and slide out the bones. Pull the meat apart gently with 2 forks, keeping some larger pieces for variety in texture. Scoop out the shallots into a serving dish and scatter with the chives (if you like). Drain the roasting juices into a jug, passing them through a sieve to discard the thyme. Lots of the lamb fat will have been rendered into the juices, so use a large spoon or ladle to skim off as much as you can (and discard), then pour the remaining flavoursome deep brown sauce back over the pulled and shredded lamb.