Leg of Lamb Questions

It has been years since I've done a leg of lamb, so help me out with a few basic questions:

Should I go with boneless or bone in?
For 6- 8 servings, how big a Bone in leg do I need? Boneless?

I was planning on a relatively simple prep of garlic and rosemary, but if you have a favorite recipe, pls post it.

Thanks

Bill

Personally, I think bone in has more intrinsic flavor, but boneless is much quicker- just make sure well seasoned.

Most of the time I do a bone in with a simple garlic/anchovy/rosemary seasoning, but I did Bittman's leg with coriander recently, loved the flavors (though I overcooked a bit as vegetables weren't done when I expected- cut too big? ). Found it online, though formatting is off:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... d=97217066

I'd go for 7+ pounder bone in. Maybe 5 boneless (no bones, but still fat waste)

Bill, Hi...

I'm all for bone-in as that suits most French, Greek and Middle-Eastern recipes. Major advantage is that once boned the meat becomes dry too easily. Here are a few recipes to consider..

Best
Rogov


Leg of Lamb with Rosemary
A Greek and Middle-Eastern Recipe

1 leg of lamb, bone in, about 4 kilos (9 lbs)
1/2 cup chicken fat
1 Tbsp. rosemary, dried
8 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
salt and black pepper to taste

With a sharp knife make small incisions in the lamb. Into
each slit insert a small slice of garlic. Sprinkle the
lamb with salt and pepper.

In a heavy skillet melt the chicken fat.

In a large, lightly greased baking dish sprinkle 1 tsp of
the rosemary. On this place the lamb. Sprinkle over the
remaining rosemary and pour over the melted chicken fat.

Roast in a medium oven allowing 30 minutes for each pound
(65 minutes per kilo) of meat. Turn the roast once and
baste occasionally. Serve hot. (Serves 6).


Parsleyed Leg of Lamb
Provencal Gigot d'Agneau au Persil

1 leg of lamb, bone in about 4 kilos (9 lbs)
2 cups beef stock
1 1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
2 medium onions, quartered
2 large carrots, quartered
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup butter, melted
6 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
3 Tbsp.olive oil
2 – 3 cloves garlic, halved
2 clove garlic, chopped finely
salt and pepper to taste

Trim the skin and all but a thin layer of the fat from
the lamb. With the garlic halves rub the leg thoroughly.

In a large roasting pan put the oil, onion and carrot.
On these put the lamb and sprinkle well with salt and
pepper. Roast, in a very hot oven, until browned (10 -
15 minutes). Reduce the temperature to hot and continue
to roast, basting frequently and adding a bit of stock if
the pan dries out. Allow a total of 12 - 15 minutes per
pound (25 - 35 minutes per kilo) for medium done meat.

Remove the lamb from the oven 10 minutes before the end
of cooking and set the meat on a platter. Mix together
the breadcrumbs, parsley and chopped garlic and spread
evenly over the meat. Sprinkle with the melted butter
and then return the meat to the pan. Cook for 10 minutes
longer or until the coating is lightly browned.

Transfer the lamb to a serving platter and let stand at
room temperature for 10 - 15 minutes before carving.

Make a sauce by draining off the excess fat from the
pan and discarding the carrot and onion. Add the wine
and 1 cup of stock. Boil, stirring well, to dissolve the
pan juices and simmer for 5 - 10 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Strain and skim off excess fat. In a
saucepan bring the gravy to a final boil and then correct
the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the
sauce in a sauce boat. (Serves 6).

Lamb Roast Forestiere
Agneau Forestiere

1 leg of lamb or mutton, about 4 kilos (9 lbs)
6 cups buttermilk
12 slices bacon, about 1/4" (1/2 cm) thick
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 cup sour cream
1 cup chicken stock
8 cloves garlic, quartered lengthwise
butter and flour as necessary
parlsey sprigs for garnish
pan gravy

With a damp cloth wipe the leg of lamb and then put in a
pan with the buttermilk. Cover and let soak,
refrigerated, for 24 - 36 hours, turning occasionally.

Drain the meat and wipe dry. Cut the bacon into 1/2" (1 cm)
strips and prepare the leg by making incisions and
inserting the bacon strips under the surface of the meat
at about 1" (2 1/2 cm) intervals. Making further incisions,
also insert the quartered garlic cloves. Dot the leg
with butter and dredge with flour.

In a skillet melt the butter and in this saute the
mushrooms lightly.

Put the roast on a rack in a baking pan and, in a very
hot oven, cook for 15 minutes. During this time heat the
chicken stock and then add it to the pan. Cover tightly,
lower the oven temperature to low and continue cooking
until the roast is nearly done (allowing 35 minutes per
pound or 75 minutes per kilo). Remove the cover and add
the mushrooms. Pour the sour cream over the roast and cook
uncovered for 10 minutes longer. Correct the seasoning
with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the roast and keep warm. Prepare the pan gravy (as in the recipe
above for parsleyed leg of lamb). Pour a small
amount of the gravy over the roast and potatoes and serve
the remaining gravy in a sauce boat. (Serves 6).

[Robin Garr]

K.I.S.S.

I agree with the others about bone in. Let it come up to room temp before roasting if possible. Trim off some of the membrane and fat on top, but leave a protective layer. Poke slits all over the leg. Poke slices of garlic and sprigs of fresh rosemary in. Swab it with olive oil (not the top of the line stuff) and dust it with freshly ground black pepper. Slam it into a 450F oven and, pay your money or take your choice, leave it at 450 and roast fast, or turn it down to 400 and let it go a little longer. Estimate 20 minutes per pound before you begin checking internal temp, and shoot for around 130F for the pink side of medium-rare. Let it rest for 10 or 15 minutes before serving; carry-over temperature will bring it up a few more degrees. Slice and serve ... I like Bordeaux or Bordeaux blends, Southern Rhones or Chianti/Brunello/Sangiovese.

Alternative procedure: Boneless, butterfly it into a thick "steak" and charcoal-grill, searing over direct heat, then moving to indirect until it's done. Turn it once or twice but don't be obsessive about it.

You got a locally grown lamb? Any producer I might know of from our overlapping neighborhoods?

Unless I missed it, the only thing missing from the recipes above is that first of all after defelling the leg if necessary is to massage about three tablespoons of olive oil on it, then add salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary, etc, etc.

I bought a boneless, rolled leg of lamb at Whole Foods. It was Icelandic. Since I'd never had Icelandic lamb, I wanted the simplicity of tasting the lamb without adding too much.

I seasoned the rolled and tied leg generously with S&P, rubbed in some EVOO, and placed a good amount of thyme sprigs under the cord around the outside of the meat. That was it.

I monitored the temperature with instant-read and took out when the lamb was MR, and it finished just between MR and Medium. Really delish.

Coincidentally, 'Winger, tonight I boned and butterflied a leg of lamb prior to grilling it on the BBQ -- cold work as you know but a last effort before stowing the smoker away for the season. It took me 20 minutes to bone and trim the leg, whereupon I inserted 2 cloves of slivered garlic into incisions made in the meat. I griiled the thing for 20 minutes, turning it once and got meat ranging from medium to "bleu" rare. The garlic and slightly charred exterior combined to give it wonderful flavor -- great with Bandol rouge.

Mark Lipton

I'm all for boneless: makes for neater work at the table.

In season, I agree with Robin... lay it out "flat" and charcoal grill. Otherwise, massage oil, garlic, black pepper, and herbs into it, roll, tie, and roast.

It was once observed to me that bay leaf is a good match with lamb; better even than rosemary.

Just for the sake of giving you one more option, Redwinger, here's something I did with great success early this year for one of our wine group gatherings. And, while we adore roast lamb (medium), and butterflied-marinated-grilled leg of lamb, this is the one I can't wait to make again. Thanks for reminding me!

http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/village/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=26894&p=253678&hilit=+seven+hour+leg+lamb#p253678

[Jenise]

I bought a boneless, rolled leg of lamb at Whole Foods. It was Icelandic. Since I'd never had Icelandic lamb, I wanted the simplicity of tasting the lamb without adding too much.

I seasoned the rolled and tied leg generously with S&P, rubbed in some EVOO, and placed a good amount of thyme sprigs under the cord around the outside of the meat. That was it.

I monitored the temperature with instant-read and took out when the lamb was MR, and it finished just between MR and Medium. Really delish.

So, worth the extra cost?