There’s nothing like the taste of lamb and preparing it is much easier than you may think.
Firstly, before you start thinking about the menu or the cooking equipment, you need to pick what cut of lamb you’d like to use, as that will determine how you cook it and what you cook it with.
Lamb cutlets and chops are very lean so they’re best pan-fried. There’s one simple rule - the leaner the meat, the quicker the cooking time. Lamb neck, shoulder and rump have working joints so they need more time to cook to help the connecting tissue melt. The slow process will ensure the meat is tender and incredibly flavoursome.
When it comes to sourcing the lamb, if I’m in Scotland I’ll buy Scottish lamb, if I’m in England I’ll buy English lamb and if I’m in New Zealand then I’ll buy New Zealand lamb. We have an abundance of lamb available on our doorstep so what would be the point in buying lamb from another country that’s been frozen and shipped over? Local lamb isn’t difficult to buy and it will always taste the best. Lamb is expensive but that’s because you get a lot more from it and I really believe you get what you pay for when it comes to meat.
Any cut of lamb will barbecue well. Time and marinades are the essence and will help to give it that wow factor. If possible, keep the bone in the lamb when you’re barbecuing it. This will help to cook the marrow in the bone giving it even more flavour.
When you’re thinking about marinades stick to North African and Eastern European flavours. Steer clear of butter and start with your finest olive oil. Add lots of rock salt then pick your favourite chillies, garlic, lemon, olives, sherry vinegars and minty yogurts. Mix it all together in your pestle and mortar and lather it on the lamb. Don’t forget a marinade can be used more than once so don’t throw it out after you’ve finished marinating the lamb. As long as you keep it refrigerated you can keep on marinating things for up to six days.
To serve, you can’t go wrong with a big chunk of crusty bread to mop up all the lamb juices and of course the obligatory dollop of mint sauce! When it comes to a wine pairing, lamb loves spices therefore you should opt for a strong, peppery, spicy red wine.
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