Made with tender pulled Welsh lamb and topped with our own Smoked Lamb Bacon, these savoury crumpets make a standout brunch dish. Most of the prep can be done the day before — whether cooked low and slow in the oven or over the BBQ — leaving just a simple assembly on the day.
Don’t be put off by the kidneys in the pâté-style butter; they bring incredible depth and savouriness to the dish. If you can get hold of them, it’s well worth it.
Ingredients
For the Lamb Shoulder
- 1 whole lamb shoulder
- 1 small tin anchovies
- A few cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
- Several sprigs of rosemary
For the Lamb Butter
- 4 lamb kidneys
- Small bowl of milk (for soaking)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 90g salted butter
- 2 tbsp sherry
- ¼ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp salt
- Pinch of black pepper
For the Crumpets
- 1 pack Welshhomestead Smokery Smoked Lamb Bacon
- 1 pack crumpets (or more if feeding a crowd!)
- Pickled gherkins, sliced thinly lengthways
- Small bunch of chives, finely snipped to garnish
Method
- Cook the Lamb Shoulder
- Preheat the oven to 130–150°C (depending on how low yours will go), or set up your BBQ for indirect cooking at around 120°C.
- Open the anchovies and cut a few fillets into thirds.
- Using a small, sharp knife, make incisions about 2cm deep all over the top side of the lamb shoulder, spacing them roughly 8cm apart.
- Into each incision, press a piece of anchovy, a slice of garlic, and a small sprig of rosemary — these little flavour pockets will infuse the meat beautifully.
- If oven-cooking, place the lamb in a roasting dish with a cup of water or wine, cover tightly with foil, and roast.
If BBQing, add a little wood for smoke (cherry works beautifully) and place the lamb directly on the grill. - If cooking on the BBQ, wrap the shoulder in butcher’s paper or foil once it reaches 65°C internal temperature.
- Continue to cook low and slow until the meat reaches over 90°C or until it’s tender enough to press easily with a spoon. This usually takes 5–6 hours. The goal is soft, pull-apart meat that falls from the bone.
- Remove the lamb, wrap it in tea towels or place in a cooler to rest for at least 1 hour (up to 2). This allows the juices to redistribute and makes shredding easier.
- Shred the meat, discarding any unrendered fat or tough skin. Use immediately or store in the fridge/freezer until ready to assemble your crumpets.
- Make the Lamb Butter
- Soak the kidneys in milk in the fridge for a few hours to mellow their flavour.
11. Remove and trim the kidneys, discarding the thin outer membrane and the central white core. 12. Chop the remaining flesh into small pieces. - Melt half the butter in a small pan, then add the kidneys and minced garlic. Gently cook for 4–5 minutes until no pink remains. Transfer to a food processor and add the salt, pepper, and ground coriander.
- Melt the remaining butter in the same pan, add the sherry, and let it bubble vigorously for 2 minutes. Pour into the processor with the kidney mix and blend until smooth.
15. Spoon into a bowl and refrigerate for a few hours to set. (It’s also brilliant on toast or crackers — keeps for about 3 days in the fridge.) - Assemble the Crumpets
- Gently fry the Smoked Lamb Bacon, then set aside. Reheat your shredded lamb in the same pan.
- Toast the crumpets until golden.
- Spread each hot crumpet generously with Lamb Butter, then pile high with the pulled lamb.
- Top with two slices of pickled gherkin, a rasher of Lamb Bacon, and a sprinkle of fresh chives.
- Serve immediately — ideally with a little salad, extra pickles, or sauerkraut on the side.
