From a roast leg at Sunday lunch to spicy eastern tagines, lamb is a wonderfully versatile meat. Here’s our guide to getting the best out of it.
From a roast leg at Sunday lunch to spicy eastern tagines, lamb is a wonderfully versatile meat. Here’s our guide to getting the best out of it.
Leg of lamb
A roast leg of lamb is a classic Sunday lunch meal, especially around Easter time. Cook on a raised rack to allow heat all the way round and space for the fat to drain off. Things can be improved by the addition of rosemary, garlic and salt. Anchovies, too, can add a depth of flavour. For something more exotic, try adding warming Middle Eastern spices.
Roast Lebanese leg of lamb recipe
Shoulder of lamb
The shoulder, from the front of the animal, needs to be slow cooked for a long time to get it to fall off the bone, so is best pot roasted. You don’t so much carve it, as just pull off what you want with a fork. Glorious.
Roast shoulder of lamb recipe
Rack of lamb
Not cheap, and not huge, but very, very tasty. A French trimmed rack of lamb comes from the ribs of the animal with the loin, or ‘eye’, of the meat attached. If you can get a mutton rack, so much the better, as these take on a more robust flavour.
Rachel Allen’s rack of lamb with mustard mash and minted peas recipe
Breast of lamb
This good value cut is best stuffed and rolled, before subjecting it to a long slow cooking. It’s also the cut used in an old dish called ‘park railings’, which are sort of like lamb fingers. You cook then chill the meat, before slicing into strips, brushing with mustard, and covering in breadcrumbs. A similar recipe is below.
Crisp lamb breast with wild fennel recipe
Loin of lamb
The loin is similar to the rack above, but with the rib bones removed. It’s very juicy and is best served pink. Overcook it and it's ruined. You can also wrap the loin in cured meats, or use it in a lamb Wellington.
Roast loin of lamb recipe
Minced lamb
The cheapest way to get some lamb on the plate, and the key ingredient in meals from shepherd’s pie to moussaka. When frying, do so over a high heat in small batches to get the meat to brown quickly. Too low a heat or too much meat in the pan, and it’ll stew and go grey. Also keep an eye on the amount of fat that comes off the mince, as it can vary. If you feel there’s too much, rub a piece of kitchen roll around the pan to soak up some of the excess.
Rick Stein's lamb-stuffed aubergines with Manchego cheese recipe
Lamb shanks
Shanks are the lower part of the sheep’s lower legs, from around the shins. They used to be really cheap, but then became rather trendy so are consequently rather expensive. They need really long slow cooking in a sauce or liquid, otherwise they’ll be tough as old boots.
Lamb shank pie recipe
Lamb chops
You can get lamb chops taken from the ribs of the animal, and you can also find lamb leg chops, which are a cross cut of the leg. Look for ones with the bone and marrow still in, most famously used in the classic Italian dish osso buco.
Pan-roasted lamb leg chops with herb butter recipe
Mutton
Mutton is the name given to a sheep at one to one and a half years old. Being older it has a much richer and more complex flavour than lamb. Do keep an eye out for it, though be aware it can be tough and therefore require a longer, slower cook than younger animals.
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