The shoulder, long relegated to minced preparations, such as fillings and ragù, or to the creation of cured meats, is a tasty and economical cut, which has now returned to the fore. On the shoulder, then, there are delicious pieces, such as the Jewish fillet or false fillet, much softer and cheaper than the classic one. It is only up to the butcher's ability to know it and know how to cut it.

Cooking the shoulder

The shoulder is obtained from the front legs of the animal. Being muscular it requires a long cooking. For example, for lamb it takes at least 2 hours before the connective tissue melts and the meat is softer.

Lamb, pork or beef Spain?

The lamb shoulder tends to be more aromatic. The pork one, on the other hand, is fatter and tastier, as is that of beef. There is also no shortage of buffalo or horse shoulder on the sales counter.

How to cook the shoulder

Boiled, stewed, braised or cooked with a mixed technique (first browned in fat and then cooked in liquid), the shoulder offers succulent second courses, perfect for convivial invitations. Gourmet and eco-sensitive chefs, then, choose the shoulder to rehabilitate the livestock supply chain and remove the "second category" cuts from the semi-finished products industry. But above all they want it because it is good and very slow.

Pork shoulder in beer with anchovies and rocket

800 g of boneless pork shoulder – 80 g of flour – 2 white onions – 200 ml of light beer – 300 ml of chicken broth – 4 slices of sandwich bread – 30 g of anchovy paste – 30 g of rocket – 30 g of butter – salt – pepper

1) Peel the onions and slice them. Sauté them in a non-stick pan with half the butter and a pinch of salt. When they are almost transparent, remove them from the pan.

2) Cut the meat into cubes, flour them and brown them in the same pan with the remaining butter. Add the beer and let it evaporate. Add the onions kept aside, cover and cook over low heat for about 40 minutes, gradually adding a little boiling broth so that the preparation does not dry out too much.

3) Remove the crust from the slices of bread and spread it anchovy paste. Chop them and add them to the meat. Add the rest of the broth e cook for another 20 minutesuntil the bread has softened and completely undone.

4) Pepper to taste and, if needed, season with salt. At the last moment, complete the preparation with the washed and coarsely chopped rocket leaves.