Lamb Poll

For some reason, there are people that swear that mint sauce or jelly enhances their enjoyment of roast (or other) lamb.
I'm not a fan. Thought I'd post a poll and see if there were a majority of mint lovers. Rosemary is the best herb for me.

Bonus recipe:

Marinate butterflied leg of lamb in a mix of garlic, thyme, rosemary, parsley, black pepper, coarse salt and olive oil (makes a thick paste). You just use the tip of a knife to poke some holes in the lamb and run the herb mix all over, and back into the fridge. I like doing this overnight. I like to BBQ it, but roasting in the oven (@425 for about 25 min. gives rare) also works well.

The "habit" of combining mint and lamb originated not so much with lamb as with mutton and in the 18th century as many, especially in the UK and on the North American continent felt that the taste of mutton was "too strong". My guess is that if those good people had then realized the joy of garlic (e.g. inserting slivers into the cooking meat), olive oil and tarragon, mint-jelly would never have come to the ascendant.

My vote is for keeping mint jelly as far away from lamb or mutton as is humanly possible.

Best
Rogov

I voted for loving Mint Jelly, since the poll didn't provide too many options, but I like it rather than love it. I was raised on roast leg of lamb and my mother always served mint jelly with it, so to me the combination is a little nostalgic. We make lamb at home in a variety of preparations from ground lamb burgers, to rack of lamb, to grilled leg of lamb. I would say I use mint jelly as an accompaniment about 25% of the time. You could count Len as a vote for "don't get it near his plate."

No good option for me. I prefer lamb prepared along the lines of Bill's recipe but I don't mind mint jelly for less-seasoned lamb.

Thanks for the bonus recipe, Bill. You hit the bull's eye with that combination. No mint jelly for me.

You are missing the option for "I love mint jelly, but can't stand lamb."

[Jenise]

I love lamb with mint, but only if it's a savory (unsweetened) prep. Is the mint sauce your poll has in mind sweet? I hate mint jelly.

I like mint and it goes well for me with lamb. I love mint mixed with honey and smeared over the chopped up remnants of a roast leg of lamb, then blasted on the grill. Aussie native peppermint is my favourite for this (mental note, must try and source some more)

Not that I don't like rosemary with lamb either, not better or worse, just different

regards

Ian

The "habit" of combining mint and lamb originated not so much with lamb as with mutton and in the 18th century as many, especially in the UK and on the North American continent felt that the taste of mutton was "too strong". Rogov

That has always been my conclusion as well and the key word is mutton.

Is most of your lamb domestic or imported? We have some very nice lamb from NZ but also some domestic ones that are quite good.

Picked up the roast lamb with mint sauce or jelly habit during the years I lived in London and still like it a lot. My wife won't touch it!
BTW also like lamb with garlic and rosemary equally plus a few other ways to prepare it.

You are missing the option for "I love mint jelly, but can't stand lamb."

I second that sentiment!

If you're using the "mint jelly" from the supermarket,read the label. Most likely you're getting mint flavored apple jelly.

I have used a fresh mint sauce variation in restaurants. A minted espagnole. Basically, brown sauce with sprigs of fresh mint steeped in it.

Not my favorite, though.

I prefer the lamb marinated in pesto, olive oil, lemon, red wine and studded with cloves of garlic. Then I roast in in a smoker using bulk hardwood hickory charcoal.

I've eaten great lamb all my life. My aunt (the great cook) used to serve lamb with Cross and Blackwell's Mint Sauce. I still use it on my lamb. I do the garlic, rosemary, evoo recipe on my roasted lamb legs, but always have a small bowl on the side with Cross and Blackwell for dipping my bite. Gene prefers apple, mint jelly. I made some once in the Fall with some really good apples and mint from my garden...it was very tasty.

NOTA.

Depends. If the lamb is cooked without much added stuff such as garlic or rosemary to name a couple of likely suspects, mint sauce or jelly can add a bit of grease-cutting savor.
If the lamb is really really good, it doesn't need anything but Syrah.

John

I was going to say more or less what Rogov said. It is an obsolete notion and probably NEVER actually tasted good.

I was forced to eat that combination when I was young and gladly escaped it when I discovered Julia Child.

At one point I heard that Costco was selling meat cooked "sous vide" (I think they still do, the pot roast etc) and I tried the lamb. The problem with it is that whoever put the recipe together thought that some mint flavoring was necessary. Ruined it for me.

[Jenise]

At one point I heard that Costco was selling meat cooked "sous vide" (I think they still do, the pot roast etc) and I tried the lamb. The problem with it is that whoever put the recipe together thought that some mint flavoring was necessary. Ruined it for me.

Your words jog a memory. One of my favorite restaurants in Los Angeles is a sandwich joint called Philippe's which is downtown and across the street from Union Station. They do a lot of things well but the sandwich they're famous for is roast lamb--think French Dip, but with thick slices of lamb carved off the leg to order. The lamb would appear to have been brined and has a mild but distinct infused clove flavor. I'm not the world's biggest clove fan, but with lamb it's incredibly good. I'd forgotten all about plans I've had for years to dupe that sometime.

mint sauce or jelly can add a bit of grease-cutting savor.
If the lamb is really really good, it doesn't need anything but Syrah.
John

Yes, John. I agree!

I voted neither. That said, I don't actually mind a Middle-eastern style mint sauce (not sweet).

I love mint sauce with lamb. I think it makes the dish! Love it also over the veggies and potatoes

Only had mint jelly when in the US: it was very sweet like a dollop of jam and I really disliked it.

Rogov suggested that mint sauce was to disguise the strong flavour of mutton.

I was brought up believing that its sharpness was to 'cut through' the fattiness of lamb, in the same way that apple sauce is served with roast pok.

I voted neither. That said, I don't actually mind a Middle-eastern style mint sauce (not sweet).

Dale,

Is that a yogurt based sauce or something else? I guess I could tolerate a yogurt mint sauce with my lamb, but not one of those sweet jellies.

I voted neither. That said, I don't actually mind a Middle-eastern style mint sauce (not sweet).

I'm with Dale. Don't particularly care for a mint jelly or sauce, but a Middle Eastern style sauce w/ yoghurt works nicely with things like lamb skewers. Also like having north Indian mint/coriander/green chilli chutneys with lamb (or any other) kebabs.

Having consumed many kilos of lamb and mutton while living in Uruguay, I prefer Chimichurri.

Is that a yogurt based sauce or something else? I guess I could tolerate a yogurt mint sauce with my lamb, but not one of those sweet jellies.

I was thinking of a yogurt sauce (the one I've tried is almost like mint tzadiki), but Salil's comments re chutneys appeal to me also- I've had mint sauces with a pesto or salsa consistency. For good rib chops I want nothing, but for things like leg of lamb, loin chops, kebabs, kibbeh, etc I could happily have mint on plate.

[Jenise]

Having consumed many kilos of lamb and mutton while living in Uruguay, I prefer Chimichurri.

Tell us again why you spent all those years in Uruguay. I recall some of your stories but have lost the connection.