Last week was wonderfully snowy in Idaho. After two months of waiting, with hardly a snowflake in sight, we received over two feet of new snow in just a few days. In addition to assuring happy sheep come spring-time, the snow also made for some happy Lava Lake employees. On Sunday Christina, Heidi and I were all on the slopes of Sun Valley’s Bald Mountain for a day of skiing and riding.

It was my first day on the mountain this year and I have to say, I waited for the right day.  The snow was perfect and the sun was shining brightly all morning.  None of us can wait for our next day on the mountain.

Here’s to celebrating winter!

Mike Gordon, Heidi Watanabe and Scott Watanabe on the Challenger Chairlift

A friend of mine received a smoker for Christmas this year and I thought what better way to break it in then to smoke a lamb shoulder? Since I had never smoked lamb before I first had to go on the prowl for a tasty recipe. My first stop is always Saveur Magazine and it paid off with a recipe for Barbacoa. The definition varies, but Barbacoa is generally lamb slow smoked until it can be shredded with a fork. In this case the recipe called for 4-6 hours of smoking. Being the first time that either of us had used a smoker, it took much longer than anticipated, and the shoulder only rose to 140 degrees. Two things came out of our first smoking experience: a lot of pictures of us standing around the smoker scratching our heads (so forgive the post with no photos) and lamb shoulder that was finished on the grill, in the dark.

Even with operator failure, the shoulder turned out delicious and the chile-rub complemented the smoky flavor perfectly.

If anyone has any smoking tips I would love to hear them. I am not going to let one set back turn me off from the smoker.

Barbacoa (Chile-Rubbed Smoked Lamb)

¼ cup distilled white vinegar
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp. dried Oregano
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
6 dried guajillo or chipotle chiles, stemmed and seeded
5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 whole cloves
2 whole allspice berries
¼ medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 4-5-lb. boneless lamb shoulder
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Puree vinegar, salt, Oregano, cinnamon, chiles, garlic, cloves, allspice, and onion in a blender. Season lamb with salt and pepper on a baking sheet, and rub all over with the chile puree. Let sit a room temperature or refrigerate overnight.

2. Prepare your grill using the kettle grill, bullet smoker, or gas grill method, (see links for instructions) using apple wood chunks or chips (see Fuel and Flavor). Place lamb, fat side up, on grill grate. Maintaining a temperature of 225°-250° (if using a kettle grill or bullet smoker, replenish fire with unlit coals, as needed, to maintain temperature; see instructions), cook until a thermometer inserted in the meat reads 190°, 4–6 hours. Shred lamb and serve with salsa and warm corn tortillas.

If you are attending at holiday party in the next couple weeks definitely sign up to bring the appetizer.  Last night, in anticipation of being the official lamb provider for our holiday parties, I tried out a  Red Pepper Jelly Glazed Lamb Meatball recipe. This recipe is ideal for party going; easy to prepare and extraordinarily delicious. You’ll be a hit!

Happy Holidays!

Red Pepper Jelly Glazed Lamb Meatballs

Ingredients
1 lb. Ground Lava Lake Lamb
7 whole peppercorns
2 whole cloves
5 whole allspice
Pinch of salt
2 slices of bread (toasted)
1/4 cup Lollipop Tree Pepper Jelly

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°
Toast the 2 slices of bread until crisp and grate them into crumbs
Combine spices and grind to a fine powder
Combine lamb, bread crumbs, and spices in a bowl and kneed until mixed
Form 1 to 1.5 inch meatballs by hand and place in baking pan approximately 1 inch apart
Bake for 12 minutes, turning the meatballs once halfway through baking
Remove from oven and immediately toss with Pepper Jelly
Recipe makes about 20 meatballs

All photos by Sara Sheehy

I think Thanksgiving is the perfect time for lamb. I know that there are some out there shaking their heads right now.You are probably deep in thought on the most delicious way to cook your Thanksgiving turkey.  Though my efforts have converted a few to the lamb side, I can at least be egalitarian in my side dishes.  Just in time for last minute additions, I wanted to share a few recipes I have found while searching for my own Thanksgiving table.

Brussel sprouts:  Love them or hate them, brussel sprouts are a perfect seasonal addition to any holiday meal.  This recipe from Bon Appetit is correct, they are best when sauteed hot and quick.

Butternut Squash:  When it comes to butternut squash, I am a traditionalist.  I cannot get past boiling cubes of the squash until tender, then mashing them with butter, brown sugar, salt and pepper.  For something slightly trendier, try Roasted Kohlrabi and Butternut Squash.

Cranberry Sauce: To make up for the traditional squash, allow me to recommend a different take on cranberry sauce. Chipotle Cranberry Sauce offers sweet, sour, and spicy all in one.  The perfect compliment to a well-cooked turkey.

No matter your main course or you side dishes, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Last Thursday, Jen Douglas and I traveled up to Murdock Creek to join our Congressman Mike Simpson for the ribbon cutting ceremony for the recently completed primitive access trail into the Murdock drainage.  A primitive access trail provides enhanced backcountry/wilderness access for individuals with mobility limitations, including wheelchairs.  These are backcountry trails with normal trail tread, but designed with truly everyone in mind.

Congressman Simpson was instrumental in shaping the original vision for the trail and securing funding for its construction.  Along with local outdoor enthusiasts, including Eric Shultz of the Arthur B. Shultz Foundation, they identified Murdock Creek as a prime candidate for an access trail.  Another trail in the White Could Mountains, the Phyllis Lake Trail has also been upgraded to a primitive access trail.  Together, these two trails add real backcountry access for individuals with mobility limitations to the Boulder-White Clouds, an area under consideration for federal wilderness designation.

We were joined on the tour by board members and staff from Idaho Conservation League and Sun Valley Adaptive Sports.  Idaho Conservation League has been a long-time partner of Lava Lake’s and a leader in the wilderness bill for the Boulder-White Clouds.   Sun Valley Adaptive Sports has been helping people with mobility challenges get out and enjoy all that our area has to offer since 1999.  The Murdock trail represents a great accomplishment for both of these great local organizations.

Eric Shultz shares what the trail means to him.

Congressman Mike Simpson officially opens the trail.

The Murdock Creek Primitive Access Trail is now open.

For the past two days Lava Lake employees have been working on installing a new windbreak on the south side of the ranch complex.  The new trees and shrubs were planted to provide wildlife habitat and block the almost constant wind that blows in off the lava fields from Craters of the Moon National Monument.

We first installed a weed barrier to keep the weeds down and help the new trees get a competitive edge. We selected a combination of native and non-native plants. The combination of plants will make for great wildlife habitat, especially with the combination of shrubs that produce berries. The evergreens will help slow down the stiff Idaho winds throughout the year.

We planted six total rows of shrubs and trees.  The rows furthest from the ranch were planted in currant and next year will be supplemented with blackberries.  Downwind from those are two rows of chokecherry, hawthorn, and American plum.  The three rows closest to the barns were planted in Rocky Mountain Juniper, Austrian Pine, and Blue Spruce.

We will look forward to watching the windbreak grow, thrive, and produce berries!