Our best roast lamb recipes (2024)

FAQs

What cooking method is best for lamb? ›

The dry heat of roasting is best for tender cuts of lamb, like the leg, rack, and loin. If you'd like to roast a cut like a lamb shoulder, go for a long, slow roast. If you're cooking a bone-in leg, keep in mind that because of the thicker and thinner portions of the cut you'll get a range of doneness.

And when you have a gorgeous cut, like a rack of lamb, you can cook it the good ol' Gordon Ramsay way—which is to say, lightly pan-sear it first, then baste it with an herby, garlicky butter, and finally finish it off in the oven until it's still pink and juicy in the middle. It comes out perfectly every time.

Roast leaner cuts of lamb in a hotter oven (450°F) to get a lovely brown crust and a well-cooked center; cook fattier cuts of lamb low and slow (325°F) to render all the fat and allow the lamb to cook in its juices. Due to residual heat, your lamb will continue to cook even after you pull it out of the oven.

There are several ways to cook a lamb leg roast so that the meat does not dry out: Low and slow method: Cook the roast in a low oven (around 300°F) for several hours until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. This method allows the roast to cook evenly and slowly, preventing it from drying out.

It's such a distinctive flavor that it pairs well with nice, strong spices, as well as herbs. Coriander, fennel, garlic, shallot, ginger, lemon peel --I think those work really nicely with lamb. There are other herbs that are traditionally paired with lamb, like mint.

Slow cooking in liquid transforms tougher cuts of lamb into fork-tender meat. Neck, shoulder and belly, either diced or as whole joints, are the best cuts for slow cooking and need to be cooked for at least 2 hrs at 150°C to soften the meat.

For the perfect roast lamb, we recommend seasoning the surface of the meat, and then searing it, especially fat side down in a pan before roasting. Why bother with searing? Contrary to some stories, searing is less about locking in moisture, and all about improving the flavour!

Fresh rosemary, fresh garlic, lemon zest, black pepper, and salt are simple but amazing flavors that pair amazingly with the lamb! Each of these ingredients adds its unique warmth and depth to enhance the flavor of the dish.

A leg of lamb is naturally quite tough, since the muscle has had to work so hard, so benefits from being cooked low and slow in a slow cooker. This recipe is cooked in lamb stock and red wine to create a delicious gravy to serve your lamb with.

It depends on the cut. If you cook a lamb shank low and slow, it will become more tender as long as you don't let it dry out. A lamb chop, on the other hand, will reach optimum tenderness at medium rare. After that it will become tougher as it cooks.

Do you wrap roast lamb in foil? ›

You want to cover the lamb leg during most of the cooking in order to preserve the tender juicy meat. A leg is not a fatty part of the animal. The easiest way to do this is to cover your dish with another baking dish. If you don't have one that fits, tent the meat with foil.

That “gamey” taste, for lack of a better term, lies in the meat's fat, and is a result of the animal's diet. What it all comes down to is a particular type of fatty acid that lambs have and beef and chicken don't. It's called branched-chain fatty acid. This is something that humans can detect at really low levels.

The ultimate lamb needs to be seasoned the day before cooking. The debate over how to season any meat is an ongoing issue. One camp follows the advice laid out in the Los Angeles Times, which heralds the benefits of salting meat right before it hits the heat of a pan, oven, or grill.

Before roasting lamb, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. A piece of meat at room temperature will roast more evenly. Use a roasting rack to ensure even browning and heat circulation around the meat.

In our experience, we found most lamb cuts, whether a rack of lamb or lamb loin chops, taste best when served medium rare. So, the meat's internal temperature should reach 130 degrees Fahrenheit (54 degrees Celsius). It will have a nice, juicy pink center, and seared exterior.

According to the American Lamb Council, Americans prefer lamb that is cooked medium rather than rare or well done. But doneness is a matter of personal preference. The French, for instance, prefer rare lamb, whereas Greeks enjoy lamb well done, almost falling from the bone.

If you prefer lamb that is tender and juicy, it is recommended to cook it to a medium-rare or medium level of doneness, with an internal temperature of 145-160°F (63-71°C). This will allow the lamb to retain its tenderness and flavor, while also ensuring that it is safe to eat.