Lamb stew

The recipe called this a casserole, but it' a stew. Casserole are typically made in casserole pans and baked for at least a short time. I don't know why Emeril calls it a casserole.

I ended up buying some lamb shoulder chops from Dominick's. I cut them up as best I could but left a bit of meat on the bone. This was the first time I've ever made lamb. I enjoy ordering it when I'm out, but never have tried to prepare it myself. I figured this was a good first try since it's hard to screw something up when braising it.

I let it simmer for a couple of hours. After a little more than an hour I tried the stew and it had no flavor. I added a bit more of the Cajun essence and salt and pepper and it turned out well. Most of the thing I have been cooking latley through are underseasoned at first and need some adjustment. Is this common?

It's also funny what a difference 30 minutes makes. I tried a small piece of the lamb after about an hour and it was chewy and tough. But after two hour it was tender and juicy. Right before serving I took the bones that had meat on them out of the stew, let them cool for a few minutes and picked the meat off. This also required a bit of fat skimming.

As for the bacon that we used to initially cook I used it as a garnish. It was nice, added a nice texture.