What's the secret to creating the perfect lamb roast?

Question

I don't know much about baked dinners - what are your secrets??

Answer 1

I cook my lamb roast with an inch of water and a sprinkle of rosemary.

The most important thing is to put a lid on the baking pan, so that the juices are revolving around the meat and to baste the meat so that it doesn't dry out.

Also, use the pan juices to make yorkshire puddings, all I can say is YUM!

Answer 2

I have cooked many a lamb roast over the years. What i do is to make sure you have a hot oven to start, this seals the roast and then what i do is turn down the heat and slowly cook it. I always have the roast sitting on a rack in the roasting tray with water, not so the meat is touching it. This seems to keep the meat moist. Prior to putting it in the oven i put slits in the meat and stuff cloves of garlic and rosemary(fresh) sprigs into the slits. This is only one way of cooking it. Try marinating it in mint and lemon overnight. Lemon is actually a natural tenderiser. My hubby is a chef and he has taught me a few things over years! And of course, use Australian Lamb!! Hope this helps

Answer 3

I just wanted to point out that most people that have answered your question are WRONG! A good one to follow is wickedchef. She has it straight. Although, I do use low and slow, part of the time. I sear my lamb in a pan with a little olive oil, to give it a nice color, and only for that reason.
Do not ever put salt on your meat and vegetables until the last minute or so of cooking as it draws out the moisture and leaves you with dry meat and mushy veggies.
I start my lamb low, and once it is about 30 mins from done( follow your thermometer and remember your math ) and then I crank it up to brown.

Answer 4

i put my roast in an oven bag with a teaspoon of flour shaken up in the bag before putting the meat into the bag and having made sure my oven has reached it's pre-heat temperature then put the roast into the oven a little bit high for about 5 minutes either side but then backing off the temperature so it will cook slowly and be tender . one key factor is that your roast must be fully defrosted .
i take mine out of the freezer at least the night before ( pending it's size ) and leave it on the very bottom of the fridge prior to that evenings cooking . good luck

Answer 5

Heat oven to 180 fareinheit...slice a slit into center of lamb... mix together 2 teaspoons of butter or margarine, 1 teaspoon of garlic ( can be granulated garlic) 1 teaspoon of rosemary...push into slit. Heat about 1/3 of an inch high oil in baking tray place in lamb and baste once only... cook for 45 minutes then turn , cook for another 45 minutes, then stick fork in center if juice runs out it is still red in the middle I like mine cooked through so I take it out when the juice stops running out. Cook to your liking. Mint in the gravey goes nice with it.

Answer 6

First of all, let's be clear about a scientific fact - basting does nothing to ensure juiciness of roasted (or baked) foods. Think of it this way - if you are dehydrated, will pouring water on your skin restore hydration? Obviously not. Basting does increase the "roasted" appearance of foods by causing browning. Therefore the drippings increase the flavour of gravey, stocks, and sauces. It does nothing for juciness.

Second of all, "slow and low" is relevant when cooking a cut of meat that requires "time and moisture" - this method is also usually used with covered meat. Unless you are cooking Mutton (old lamb or goat), it is never necessary.

The best way to ensure juiciness of any cut is to start the roasting with 15 minutes of high heat - 400 plus - uncovered. This will sear and contract the surface, trapping the moisture in.

For roasting, you can not go wrong with a leg or shoulder of lamb, rubbed with a combination of herbs, oil, garlic and citrus. Make a mixture of diced garlic (3 cloves), 5 tablespons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon freshly chopped basil, 1/4 teaspoon each freshly chopped oregano, thyme and mint, and a stem of coarsley chopped fresh rosemary. Add about 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black or mixed pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice. Let this herb/citrus mixture sit on the counter for an hour.

Rub this mixture over your cut of meat (make sure your lamb is out of the fridge, thawed, and patted dry with paper towels, for at least a 1/2 hour first) and place back in the fridge for about 3 hours. Turn your lamb cut every 1/2 hour, as the oils will settle because gravity works!

Preheat your oven to 450 F. In a shallow roasting pan, place 2 large coursely chopped onions, 2 chopped plum tomatoes (or 3 from a can of plum tomatoes), 3 peeled whole garlic cloves, and one large peeled and sliced carrot. (It is even better if you can place a small amount of oil in the pan and quickly brown these veggies before the meat is added.)move the veggies t the sides of the pan, and place a small rack in the centre on which to rest your lamb (some veggies will be underneath, but most should surround the roast - makes better gravey) . Add your lamb roast and place in the preheated oven. After 15 minutes, turn the oven down to 375 F. In 1/2 hour, put 1 cup of water in the bottom of the pan and leave it. The average leg of lamb is around 3.5 pounds, and should be cooked for 20 minutes per pound -no more. Check the pan bottom - shortly after it goes dry, add a touch more water. Let it go dry fr a bit, s this carmelizes the veggies, which add flavour and colour to your gravey. The evaporation of the water, and the roasting of the veggies in the bottom, add to the browning and the flavour intensity. You don't want a pile of water in the bottom, or you will have "braised" lamb.

After the time is done (20 minutes per pound), remove the lamb and place it in tinfoil (aluminum foil?)- securely wrapped. Then, work on your gravey or sauce - remove the veggies with a slotted spoon into a serving bowl and place it in the turned off oven to keep warm. They make a terrific little dish full of all the flavours of your meal! Remove the rack, and add a bit of water to scrape off all the brown bits from the pan. Taste to determine how strong it is, and "play" with it from there - add some chicken or beef broth (never cubes! Canned is better), some lemmon, a bit of salt and pepper, perhaps some corn starch or flour already mixed and de-lumped with water (NEVER use a "gravey mix"!).

Sumptuous!

If your are doing cutlets or chops, you can still use the marinade and herb mixture - just save a bit to add to the pan after the frying is done, with a bit of stock or water, to make a marvellouse "au jus" to spoon over your chops!
Good Luck!

Answer 7

baking is one of the most simple things to do, either you get it very right or very wrong, with Lamb it tends to get dry quick, so BASTE frequently!
Also on a side note, a GREAT thing to serve as a dressing for the lamb is this mint apple jelly, you just put a small spoonful on your plate and dip the bites of lamb in it...mmm so good. Also works for pork chops.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

Low and slow.

Low heat for a long time. Use a thermometer.

If you have a grill it's better to cook on the grill to get some more flavor using wood chips or charcoal.

Answer 10

Ahh .. there will be lots of different answers on this one. From my experience either a) coat with a baste of vegemite OR b) pierce leg of lamb front and back - insert chunks of garlic - and totally cover with olive oil and rosemary. Personally, I prefer the second recommendation .. yum .. simple .. just try it. :0) P.S. In a slow oven (not over 150C).