Skip to content

Meat, South and mountains

Avignon style lamb daube with steamed potatoes

Avignon style lamb daube is a slow cooked stew of lamb shoulder in white wine, flavored with orange zest, bacon lardons and steamed potatoes on the side. For 4 people, it takes 2 hours 30 minutes including 110 minutes of gentle simmering, rated easy, for about €4.80 per person. The key to success is a bare simmer, never a boil, so the lamb stays tender.

An Avignon style lamb daube, slow cooked in white wine with bacon lardons and orange zest, served with steamed potatoes.

Avignon style lamb daube with steamed potatoes
Total time
2 h 30
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€4.80
Calories per person
580 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring

Orange zest is what sets this daube apart. It adds a fresh, slightly bitter note that lifts the rich lamb and the smoky bacon lardons. The dry white wine, lighter than the red wine used in a classic daube, keeps the sauce pale and the dish feels bright, true to recipes from southern France.

This is a Sunday dinner or an easy weeknight meal, since the long simmer does most of the work while you get on with something else. The steamed potatoes, simple and well salted, soak up the orange scented juices without ever covering up the taste of the lamb. Great for having people over without stress, a bit less for kids who aren't used to citrus zest in a savory dish.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Lamb shoulder, cut into pieces 1 kg
  • Smoked bacon lardons 150 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onions 2
  • Carrots 3
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Unwaxed orange 1
  • Thyme 4 sprigs
  • Potatoes 900 g

Pantry

  • Dry white wineoften in the pantry 40 cl
  • Bay leavesoften in the pantry 2
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

The step by step recipe

  1. Brown the bacon lardons in a Dutch oven, then the lamb with the olive oil, and set everything aside. 12 min

    The lardons release fat as they cook, so you can cut back on the oil.

  2. Cook the onions, carrots and garlic in the same pot. 6 min

    Don't let them brown too much, the carrots should stay sweet.

  3. Put the meats back in, add the white wine, orange zest, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper.

    Remove the zest before serving, otherwise it turns bitter.

  4. Cover and let it simmer over low heat. 1 h 50

    A barely visible simmer, never a boil, keeps the lamb tender.

  5. Steam the potatoes and serve them alongside the daube. 25 min

    Salt the steaming water, it's the only way to season the potatoes all the way through.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a lamb shoulder with a bit of fat on it, it stays juicier than lean cuts after two hours of simmering.
  • Peel the orange zest in wide strips with a vegetable peeler, avoiding the bitter white pith, so you can lift it out easily at the end.
  • If the sauce looks too thin at the end of cooking, take the meat out and reduce the liquid over high heat for a few minutes before adding it back.

The variations

  • Swap the white wine for a dry rosé for a slightly rounder daube, still in the same southern French spirit.
  • For a meatless version, replace the lamb and lardons with parsnips and button mushrooms, and simmer for just 40 minutes.
  • For kids, remove the orange zest before serving and swap the steamed potatoes for mashed potatoes instead.

What to serve it with

  • A dauphinoise gratin in winter
  • A sharply dressed green salad
  • A dry white wine from the Rhone

Storage

The daube keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and it often tastes even better the next day. It freezes well for 2 months once cooled, but leave the potatoes out since they don't freeze well. Reheat gently in a covered pot on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if needed.

Questions about this dish

Can you make this lamb daube ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually recommended. Make it the day before, let it cool, and keep it in the fridge, the wine and orange flavors come together even better overnight.

Do you really need to remove the orange zest before serving?

Yes, because left in the pot too long, the zest turns bitter. Lift out the zest strips just before serving the dish.

What cut of lamb works if I can't find shoulder?

Lamb neck or cubed leg both work well, as long as the meat has a bit of fat to stay moist through the long simmer.

Can I use something other than smoked bacon lardons?

You can use plain bacon lardons or diced smoked pork belly instead. The smoky flavor is still worth keeping, it balances the orange nicely.

How long does it take to make an Avignon style lamb daube with steamed potatoes?

Count 2 h 30 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in an Avignon style lamb daube with steamed potatoes?

About 580 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does an Avignon style lamb daube with steamed potatoes cost?

About €4.80 per serving, or €19.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains none of the major allergens tracked by Mon Chou. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

Cuisine from the South and the mountains

See all

Recipes with lamb

See all