Help!! Cooking Roast lamb

Hamster · 26 May 2007 at 23:59

Need some cooking tips please!!

At my parents this weekend and foolishly promised to cook them a roast tomorrow evening. Last time i tried it, it was a disaster!!

It's a 1Kg half leg of British lamb with not too much fat on it.

What's the best way to roast it? (without too many other ingredients as i CBA to fight through my local tesco on a Sunday). I'm going to cook it with some veg (probably baby peas), roast spuds, gravy and mint sauce. Want the lamb to be well done. I followed the usual timings last time and it came out oozing with blood!

BTW they've got an electric oven (fan assisted can be switched on or off).

Help appreciated!!

gumbald · 27 May 2007 at 00:21

Cook for longer?

Never cooked lamb, but I'm sure Jonny69 or someone would be able to help..

Raymond Lin · 27 May 2007 at 00:39

easy, for lamb best combo is mint sauce. and get some rosemary and tymne. stab it with a shape knife and insert the herbs in it. reason the outside grease with olive oil and 200c for 80 mins should be enough, or make it 100 mins to be sure. you can add some veg in the same tray to able with it too

the-void · 27 May 2007 at 00:54

I usually cook on gas mark 5/6 for 40 mins per half kilo plus an additional 30 minutes.

If you want it really well done, then add another 20-30 minutes again.

Make sure the oven is preheated.

Also, make sure that your meat is at room temperature when you put it in the oven as this helps to even out the heat gradient so you get a more evenly done roast.

Try not to keep opening the oven door.

Oven settings are only a guide. It may be that you need to increase the temperature of your particular oven by 10% on everything you cook in it. I have used ovens in the past where I had to turn up and turn down by a good margin from the recommended setting to get the desired result from the correct length of cooking.

Buy a decent meat thermometer to make sure your meat is cooked. If it isn't, leave it in a little longer.

Had roast lamb today, funnily enough and I had to leave it in an extra 15 minutes then usual. But that is the way it goes sometimes with cooking.

Hamster · 27 May 2007 at 00:59

Thanks!

I think constantly opening the oven door to check on it ruined it last time/

I like the herbs idea. Do i just stick them in a few slits?

Also is it best to cover the lamb with foil whilst cooking and is it best to cook at a lower temp for longer or a higher temp for less time?

Raymond Lin · 27 May 2007 at 02:32

only open the door to baist every 30 mins, it's not going to be cook in am hour so why bother opening the door, don't wrap foil when cooking it but do after you get it out and leave for 20 mins before carving it. thats very important

pitchfork · 27 May 2007 at 12:00

I cook mine at 200 for about an hour, non fan oven.
Lots of sea salt and pepper, then make the juices into gravy, nothing fancy.

iCraig · 27 May 2007 at 12:14

Raymond Lin said:
but do after you get it out and leave for 20 mins before carving it. thats very important

Indeed, many people forget the importance of resting the meat, it makes or breaks the texture and tenderness of the meal.

Glaucus · 27 May 2007 at 12:21

180 degrees for 25mins per lb + 25mins.

1kilo is 2.2lb so

55+25 = 1hr20 cooking time

that should be almost well done. Remove 10mins for pink add 10 mins for welldone
To test for well done meat, get a skewered or sharp knife, and pierce meet down to the bone. Then get a fork and gently press down over the stab mark. If the liquid is clear it's well done, slightly coloured it's pink and if it's red it needs some more cooking.

And for a nice crunchy topping do

2 teaspoons Brown sugar (normall will do)
2 teaspoons English mustard (pref powder but again normal will do)
2 teaspoons crushed garlic

Mix together smear over lamb, stick into oven.

Leave the fan on you get more even cooking

And remember resting time.

for the potatoes peel and cut to right size, place in pan of water. Bring to the boil and boil for about 5mins. Drain in a collinder and poor olive oil over. Toss until the outsides of the potatoes are rough and poor around the lamb.
If you start peeling the potatoes as soon as you have put the lamb in the oven then it's perfect timing. If your doing parsnips, same again if you start preparing the parsnips as soon as the potatoes are in the oven.

for a great easy gravy. remove potoes/meat from roasting tray. Put tray on hob large ring gentle heat, reduce any liquid down to fat, at this point add some more oil if needed. Then add 2 heaped tablespoons of flour to the oil. and mix, fry for about 30 seconds then add about a pint of water but in very small stages each time you add water let it come back to a thick paste (mixing all the time), keep adding slowly until you reach the required consistency. Once at the correct consistency simmer for 5 mins to cook the flour out and add a couple of teaspoons of bovril or lamb stock cubes to taste.

Wolfman Jack · 27 May 2007 at 12:28

Probaby too late, but cook as muxh as the veg as early as you can. Get it "just cooked" not fully cooked, then blanch it in cold water, and drain.

When yer joint is ready and done, the veg can be re-heated in a microwave forabout 2-3 mins - this cuts down on the stress of trying to have everything ready at the same time

shimy182 · 27 May 2007 at 12:39

Lots of herbs (rosemary,thyme) crushed garlic and rock salt, rub it all in, and roast until it BURNNS

pitchfork · 27 May 2007 at 13:04

I find it's easier to serve the meat at room temperature and the gravy heats it up.

Hamster · 27 May 2007 at 15:51

Thanks for all your kind help!!
Not too late as i'm cooking this in the evening.

Acid: reading your method is already making my mouth water! Love the sound of the mustard, garlic and sugar and will give that a go. Only snag is that there's no english mustard, just dijon grain stuff. Will that do?
Good advice on the timings - i always seem to muck up there, having to do 10 things at once right at the end!

Going to keep everybody's advice in mind and will post back in the evening.

Thanks again!

Glaucus · 27 May 2007 at 15:59

Marmoset said:
Thanks for all your kind help!!
Not too late as i'm cooking this in the evening.

Acid: reading your method is already making my mouth water! Love the sound of the mustard, garlic and sugar and will give that a go. Only snag is that there's no english mustard, just dijon grain stuff. Will that do?
Good advice on the timings - i always seem to muck up there, having to do 10 things at once right at the end!

Going to keep everybody's advice in mind and will post back in the evening.

Thanks again!

yep any mustard will do, but English is the best for this. Any that flows off into the baking tray, when you add the potatoes just toss them around a bit to get a bit on them as well.

Jaaay · 27 May 2007 at 16:03

Wolfman Jack said:
Probaby too late, but cook as muxh as the veg as early as you can. Get it "just cooked" not fully cooked, then blanch it in cold water, and drain.

When yer joint is ready and done, the veg can be re-heated in a microwave forabout 2-3 mins - this cuts down on the stress of trying to have everything ready at the same time

Doesnt re-heating food especially in a microwave just kill the food?
I would just pop them in the oven after the joint is done.
This would keep the nice and warm.

Glaucus · 27 May 2007 at 16:06

Jay™ said:
Doesnt re-heating food especially in a microwave just kill the food?
I would just pop them in the oven after the joint is done.
This would keep the nice and warm.

or just get the timings right, I dont even time know, I just follow a simple procedure. get veg prepared and when you take out your meat simply, get a dry pan on stove and warm up, meanwhile have the hot tap running. Then fill hot pan with hot water add veg and salt. While that starts boiling make the gravy. When gravy is made your veg should be slightly crunchy and your meat should be fully rested.

the-void · 27 May 2007 at 18:17

AcidHell2 said:
or just get the timings right, I dont even time know, I just follow a simple procedure. get veg prepared and when you take out your meat simply, get a dry pan on stove and warm up, meanwhile have the hot tap running. Then fill hot pan with hot water add veg and salt. While that starts boiling make the gravy. When gravy is made your veg should be slightly crunchy and your meat should be fully rested.

There is nothing better than a good roast. Do enough of them and you will learn your own little techniques like AcidHell's to get everything ready at the same time. It becomes second nature after a while.

Its a bit hectic towards the end, and a good deal of preparation at the start, but you can watch a film in between.

D.P. · 27 May 2007 at 19:31

Lamb should be srved slightly bloody like roast beef. It goes dry, tough and tastless if you cook it too long.

Baz · 27 May 2007 at 23:10

Lamb to be honest should be cooked slowly, for maybe 4-5 hours at 170'C, the meat just falls apart and is fantastic

Get an onion or two, cut them into quarters or smaller, put them in the tray with a couple of pay leaves, get some garlic and place some with the skins on in the pan and some in cuts you make in the meat, along with fresh sprigs of rosemary, place the meat in the pan and add water and/or red wine, about an inch or so up the side of the pan, drizzle some olive oil on the lamb and season. Cover with foil and place in the oven for 90 minutes. Remove the foil and add more water or wine, and leave for another 3 hours, topping up the fluids if necessary. Also drain some of the liquid off for a killer gravy

Slow cooking meat is always a good way of doing it. I am doing Belly of pork tomorrow with the best crackling in the world

~>Dg<~ · 27 May 2007 at 23:18

The fat is very important part of the meat and gives a lot of flavour cut it of after cooking if you dont like it .