Poll: Making roast lamb for Sunday lunch, need suggestions

[carelesshx]

I love lamb, but I've never tried cooking it before, so this Saturday I'm making Sunday lunch (I work Sundays so Saturday is my Sunday) and I'm going to get a big lump of baby sheep meat and make it hot until it tastes nice.

My question is: what part of the lamb should I use, and how should I cook it? Bonus points for suggesting nice veggies to accompany. I am cooking for four people so a whole leg will probably be too much.

NEEDLESS POLL ALERT!

Because polls are fun, I thought I would post one. Do you like lamb? If you have never tried it, why not?

 

[Jark212]

Lamb ribs (Rack of lamb) are generally very good, cook until well done, can be served with mashed potatoes, green beans, and plenty of mint jelly...

But that's just how I serve it...

It's pretty easy to find a recipe online...

 

[mad825]

wrong thread >.>'

 

[TheHoboHunter]

Holy Shit...Lamb is Delicious. bust out the mint jelly

 

[Spaghetti]

I like Lamb, but I'm more of a Beef man.
Anyway, my first tip would be make sure that the lamb is thoroughly dead, otherwise things will get needlesly messy.
Secondly, get your hands on a Meat Thermometer thing if you haven't already. I think most will tell you the correct temperature for whatever meat your cooking.

Veggies tend to be the standard "Roast Dinner" affair in my humble, uneducated foodie opinion. Carrots, Peas, Spuds of various styles (mash, roast, new). Yorkshire puddings go down well if your in Britain...
Oh and gravy of course. Works best if you use the run-off juices from the lamb to make it...but I don't know how to do that so I can't tell you

 

[dmase]

Steak is better but i've only had lamb once.

Now that i think about it the most slimy, disgusting meat i've ever eaten, duck. fyi

 

[Regiment]

Steak is better but i've only had lamb once.

Now that i think about it the most slimy, disgusting meat i've ever eaten, duck. fyi

Steak is better, but duck can be really good. I had some in cassoulet (a bean casserole from the south of France) and it's really good. Then again, on its own it's really, really oily.

The meat I can't stand is venison. I had venison chili once, and it actually tasted like someone had shredded a wallet into it. The meat was this tough leathery... stuff. I don't know if it was badly cooked or what, but it was horrid.

Oh, about lamb: Yummy. I have no idea how to cook it, but I'd suggest a side of something green and flavorful, or white. Grab a few cans of peas and some cauliflower and you're set.

...now I want lamb and cauliflower...

 

[Sigel]

Lamb is very lean, and will overcook/dry out quickly so be attentive. You can make a easy glaze for it out of port wine, gorganzola cheese, and butter. I suggest serving couscous with it. If you are serving wine with it, a shiraz will go well with it, Peter Lehmann or St.Hallet are both good.

 

[Jamash]

The meat I can't stand is venison. I had venison chili once, and it actually tasted like someone had shredded a wallet into it. The meat was this tough leathery... stuff. I don't know if it was badly cooked or what, but it was horrid.

If it was hunted venison, I'd imagine the deer was chased a bit before it was killed, and the carcass wasn't hung properly before it was butchered, meaning the muscles wouldn't have had time to relax and would probably still be tense and full of lactic acid.

Venison is actually very nice and shouldn't be though or leathery, unless the carcass wasn't prepared properly and is too fresh.

Back on topic, when I cook lamb, I score the outside of the meat with a knife and rub salt and herbs into it, which gives it a nice crispy coating.

I actually cook my joints of meat on a wire rack which I place over a glass dish, in which put some hot Oxo stock, so that all the juice and fat from the meat drips into the stock and makes nice, easy gravy (which I just reduce in a pan on the hob once the meat is cooked).

Roast Potatoes and roast Parsnips are my vegetable of choice, I just peel them, chop them horizontally in half, sprinkle pepper and herbs on top and roast them in a pan with a lot of butter, on the top shelf above the meat, for about as long as the meat takes (but I always check on the food every half hour or so).

I can't really help you decide what cut of meat to get, or with times, I just get what ever is a good offer at the time, and roughly follow the instructions on the packaging, always cooking the meat for at least the amount of time it says, but I usually cook it for longer, and I check on it quite frequently to make sure the vegetables don't burn.

 

[Gardenia]

I love lamb. Sooo tasty, it is my favorite type of meat. A whole leg is never too much. Cut little holes(pockets) in it and stuff them with garlic. Then rub the entire thing in rosemary and thyme, and you're good to go. Just don't overcook it, unless you're one of those persons who think anything below well done is wolf meat. Freeze the leftover meat and use it for something else later. As for vegetables, I myself am a fan of broccoli.

Holy Shit...Lamb is Delicious. bust out the mint jelly

You, sir, are awesome! Noone I know uses mint jelly on lamb.

 

[Tasachan]

The only thing I really know that works well with lamb is rosemary. If you're making a roast, sprinkle a few sprigs of rosemary in with it. =)

http://www.foodnetwork.ca/search/recipes/results.html?q=lamb+%2Broast

A lot of those look good. =D

 

[King of the Sandbox]

I've never been a fan of lamb, but I've never tried it with this 'mint jelly' everyone seems to adore.

I gotta tell ya, 'mint jelly' does not sound like something I put on something I don't like to make me like it more.

Also, I can't tell you how to cook it, because I'm a food noob, but I can suggest some awesome veggies, like parsnips, broccoli, baby peas and corn. Also, potatoes are pretty much awesome with anything.

 

[Falseprophet]

Along with the rosemary, you can sprinkle lemon juice for flavour, but it's not for everyone so it's probably best to serve with lemon wedges so your diners can use them to taste.

Also, do not overcook. I've never made lamb myself but I know dry lamb is really unappetizing.

I really like any grilled vegetables. I'm partial to bell peppers, asparagus and corn myself; zucchini also works. I usually like them plain, but sometimes I'll coat my peppers and asparagus with olive oil and sprinkle garlic powder over them while grilling. Corn, you only need butter.

Bon appetit!