"it's amazing what we take for granted is what we miss the most. Now that your no longer with us, I miss your Sunday roast"
Like our Sunday roast beef, in the Wellman household it was always the cheaper cut of rolled roast; that mum would cook to an inch of its life, just the way she loved it and always served with lashings and lashings of mint sauce.
Just like with beef, the same rules apply to the various cuts and joints (cuts are boneless, joints have bones)
These cheaper (yet tougher) cuts of meat tend to be the cuts from either the front of the animal or the lower half of the beast. The more work the muscle needs to do in the animal, the tougher the joint. But with that comes more flavour as more blood is needed to be pumped to it. The most tender cut for example; the fillet or tenderloin, is simply a protective internal muscle. Hence it does little to no actual work and therefore most tender, but does lack a depth of flavour.
lamb dressed as mutton?
Lamb is the animal up to 1 year old, although the meat from anything up to 8 months is better and more tender. After one year old the met is known in NZ as 'hogget', it has a stronger flavour and is not as tender. After 2 years old the meat is known as mutton; the flavour of which tends to be quite robust and almost gamey. It usually requires a moist method of cookery such as post roasting for large joints, and is great for stews with strong flavoured ingredients such as Rogan Josht.
During my many years living in New Zealand, needless to say I came to appreciate a good roast leg of lamb. Hugely expensive her in the UK, in NZ they were readily and cheapily available; 3 million people - 30 million sheep! This was one my favourite way of cooking it, along with creating a boiled 'mutton ham' and Colonial goose, the recipes for which I will post on a later blog.
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recipe - cheffie's roast leg of lamb
001 pc lamb leg (full leg with bone in)
001 pc garlic clove
001 pc lemon
rosemary sprigs
100 gm butter
001 tsp seeded mustard
Just like with beef, the same rules apply to the various cuts and joints (cuts are boneless, joints have bones)
These cheaper (yet tougher) cuts of meat tend to be the cuts from either the front of the animal or the lower half of the beast. The more work the muscle needs to do in the animal, the tougher the joint. But with that comes more flavour as more blood is needed to be pumped to it. The most tender cut for example; the fillet or tenderloin, is simply a protective internal muscle. Hence it does little to no actual work and therefore most tender, but does lack a depth of flavour.lamb dressed as mutton?
Lamb is the animal up to 1 year old, although the meat from anything up to 8 months is better and more tender. After one year old the met is known in NZ as 'hogget', it has a stronger flavour and is not as tender. After 2 years old the meat is known as mutton; the flavour of which tends to be quite robust and almost gamey. It usually requires a moist method of cookery such as post roasting for large joints, and is great for stews with strong flavoured ingredients such as Rogan Josht.
During my many years living in New Zealand, needless to say I came to appreciate a good roast leg of lamb. Hugely expensive her in the UK, in NZ they were readily and cheapily available; 3 million people - 30 million sheep! This was one my favourite way of cooking it, along with creating a boiled 'mutton ham' and Colonial goose, the recipes for which I will post on a later blog.
_________________________________________________________________________________
recipe - cheffie's roast leg of lamb
001 pc lamb leg (full leg with bone in)
001 pc garlic clove
001 pc lemon
rosemary sprigs
100 gm butter
001 tsp seeded mustard
recipe - method of preparation
Pre-heat the oven to 180C
Using a small, sharp, pointed knife, make eight deep cuts in the leg (each cut no wider than the width of the knife blade), the cuts should be evenly spread all over the leg. Into each hole place a a slice of peeled garlic and a sprig of rosemary; pushing each deep into the cut.
Beat together the butter with the mustard and grated lemon zest. Smear the leg all over with this butter and season well with salt and freshly milled pepper. Place into a roasting tray with a few tablespoons of water
Place into the oven and roast for approx. 2 hours (if the leg is browning too quickly, loosely cover with a sheet of lightly oiled or buttered tinfoil. The only way to truelly test if it is fully cooked is to use a meat thermometer. If this is not possible, after 2 hours pierce the leg with a long bladed knife right to the centre and push down on the flesh, the juices should run clear. If there is any sign of blood, place back into the oven.
When the leg is cooked, remove from the oven and place onto a clean tray, cover with a clean tea towel and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. This resting allows the meat structure to relax, the internal juices to be absorbed evenly and will make for juicier and more tender slices of meat.
next time - Mamon Wellman and jam tarts .......
Using a small, sharp, pointed knife, make eight deep cuts in the leg (each cut no wider than the width of the knife blade), the cuts should be evenly spread all over the leg. Into each hole place a a slice of peeled garlic and a sprig of rosemary; pushing each deep into the cut.
Beat together the butter with the mustard and grated lemon zest. Smear the leg all over with this butter and season well with salt and freshly milled pepper. Place into a roasting tray with a few tablespoons of water
Place into the oven and roast for approx. 2 hours (if the leg is browning too quickly, loosely cover with a sheet of lightly oiled or buttered tinfoil. The only way to truelly test if it is fully cooked is to use a meat thermometer. If this is not possible, after 2 hours pierce the leg with a long bladed knife right to the centre and push down on the flesh, the juices should run clear. If there is any sign of blood, place back into the oven.
When the leg is cooked, remove from the oven and place onto a clean tray, cover with a clean tea towel and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. This resting allows the meat structure to relax, the internal juices to be absorbed evenly and will make for juicier and more tender slices of meat.
next time - Mamon Wellman and jam tarts .......
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