Among the main ones lamb cuts, the leg it is among the most delicious, especially if used for cooking roast. However, its perfect yield depends both on the application of some techniques necessary to bone it properly and on the cooking times. Furthermore, another crucial point of this preparation is the marinating. THE'afrore in fact this animal is very intense, due to its young age and belonging to the sheep breed. If not treated with due care, it can ruin the final result of the dish. Discover all the salt and pepper tips to learn how cook the leg of lamb perfectly done.
Boneless leg, with bone or cut into pieces?
The leg of lamb it can be cooked boneless, with bone or in pieces. For Bone the leg of lamb the first operation to be performed is precisely the elimination of the pelvic bone, taking care however to leave that of the shin. Put the piece of meat with the fat on the side of the cutting board, insert the tip of a knife into the pulp following the contour of the bone, until you reach the joint that connects it to the femur. After that, cut the tendons that hold them together and scrape the meat around the bone to remove it. If you prefer to serve it without bones, after eliminating the pelvic bone, incise the meat until it is eliminated shin. Then portion the leg or use the meat deprived of the bone to create a pocket in which to insert a filling.
How much meat for 4, 6, 8, 12 people
A leg of lamb of 1 kg is suitable for a lunch for 6 people. Consequently, by cooking two, you can prepare a second dish suitable for a nice table of friends for 10-12 people. These proportions can also be considered for lunches and dinners for 4 or 8 people: if the meat is too much, you can still use it in some recycling recipe.
The importance of marinating
The leg of marinated lamb it is the most suitable recipe for those who can't stand the intense smell of this meat, but don't want to give up its flavor. To remove the wild greenery, leave the leg of lamb to soak for 8 hours in a mixture of water and lemon. Change the water 2-3 times. You will then have to proceed to marinating. This process can take some time because, as already mentioned, the smell of the meat of this animal is very strong. After finishing the soak, rinse the lamb well with running water, place it in a container and sprinkle it with chopped aromatic herbs. They will be very useful thyme, rosemary, mint, sage is laurel but also berries of juniper, black pepper in gran, onion and garlic. Practice slight incisions on the meat so that these aromas penetrate inside the leg. Pour two glasses of white wine and half a glass of extra virgin olive oil and cover the container with cling film. All you have to do is leave it for a night in the fridge.
How to stuff the leg
Stuffing the leg is a very easy operation, in which you can indulge your imagination. Clicking here you will find the recipe of Salt & Pepper for the stuffed leg. For the basic recipe, the first thing is better Boning the cut, eliminating the central bone. Grease the meat with a little oil and stuff with chopped pancarré, anchovy fillets, parsley, lemon peel, egg white, salt and pepper. Then roll the roast and, for a more satisfying visual touch, insert the bone of the leg that you have kept aside, tying it to the stuffed pocket with food string. Grease everything and put the leg of lamb in a pan. fires at 220 ° C for 15 minutes. Add the wine and vegetable stock and bake in a static oven for 1 hour at 180 ° C.
Another variation in the filling is the leg of lamb stuffed with ham. To prepare it, all you need to do is open the book leg and fill it with chopped ham, parmesan, cherry tomatoes, capers and pine nuts. Then reassemble the meat and tie it with the food string, brown it in the pan with oil and garlic. After that, transfer the roast to a pan: add salt, pepper, wine and let it cook in the oven for 190 ° C. If during cooking you notice that the cooking juices are drying, add some vegetable broth.
Traditional recipes
Given its high digestibility and its low allergenic charge, thelamb it is one of the most popular meats in regional culinary traditions. Usually the lamb's leg "fever" rises during the feast of Easter. It can be cooked in any way (except boiled), remembering that unlike lamb, lamb meat should be eaten to the blood.
Between traditional recipes stand out roast leg of lamb with potatoes or with artichokes, the leg of lamb with Sardinian or Roman style, or baked lamb with lampascioni, typical Apulian recipe.
Roast leg of lamb cooked in the Roman style
One of the main dishes that best represent the gastronomic tradition of Lazio is theLamb Alla Romana. You can also use this recipe to cook the leg because the main feature of this preparation is the addition, at the end of baking, of boned and pounded anchovies.
Sardinian roast leg of lamb
To prepare theSardinian lamb the meat is enriched with potatoes and artichokes, or with green olives, lemon and eggs. In addition, among the ingredients is the myrtle, which gives the meat a unique aroma, typical of the region.
Lamb leg in foil
There baking in foil he can help us in many preparations, including the leg of lamb. Take and add salt and pepper to the meat, above and below the piece. Take a rectangle of baking paper and brush it several times with oil: place the meat in the center. Sprinkle the surface with chopped fresh herbs. leave only the bay leaf whole. Put wine and lemon juice in the foil. Close carefully to ensure that the liquid does not leak out. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 ° C for about 60 minutes. After the cooking time, squeeze the foil to remove a little steam and bring it to the table.
Grilled leg of lamb
To prepare the grilled leg of lamb, eliminates external membranes and remove excess fat. Take a few cloves of garlic, reduce them and insert them in some incisions made on the leg. Ungi with very little oil on the surface, add salt and a mix of aromatic herbs.
Arrange the legs on the grill (preferably with an upstand with an aluminum tray underneath to collect the cooking juices) and cook until the heart of the meat reaches 70-72 ° C. To determine the actual cooking use a thermometer from kitchen. It will take about two hours, taking care to turn the leg around. At the end, let the meat rest for ten minutes before cutting.
Stewed leg of lamb in a pan
The recipe of the Sardinian tradition, the recipe of leg of lamb stewed in a pan it is very simple to put into practice. After boning the piece, tie it with the food string to ensure that it does not lose its shape during cooking. Cut the meat and place a fine mixture of sage, rosemary and garlic inside these small holes. In a saucepan, heat the oil: when it is hot, add the lamb, season with salt and pepper and brown it over high heat over the entire surface.
At the end of this step, combine the finely chopped onion and continue cooking for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally. At this point, combine the tomato pulp and cover the pan with a lid: cook over moderate heat for 45 minutes, checking from time to time that the lamb does not stick to the pan. If necessary, add two tablespoons of hot water. At the end of cooking, remove the lamb from the pan, cut it into slices and place it on a warm serving dish. Sprinkle it with the hot sauce you got from the bottom of the pan and serve immediately.
