New Zealand High Country Sheep Station Roast Lamb Recipes

Steps:

• Pre-heat your oven to 450°F (225°C).
• Put a little soy sauce unto the palm of your hand and rub into the meat, repeat until the entire leg is "painted" with soy sauce all over.
• Rub in the sugar all over the lamb.
• Salt and pepper all over.
• NO fat, oil or butter etc is necessary.
• (Set a metal rack into your roasting dish to elevate the meat so that it roasts and doesn't boil in the juices and fat that will drip out during cooking).
• Put into a roasting dish, and COVER it, roast in your really hot oven for 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, turn it over, roast a further 15 minutes, still COVERED, this seals in the juices.
• Turn down the oven to 375°F (190°C) and cook UNCOVERED for a further 2.5 -3 hours (turning over half way) depending on how well done you like your meat.
• Use a skewer to check that the juices are running clear from the thickest part of the meat.
• REST the meat for at least 20 minutes before carving so that the meat fibers can relax, if it doesn't rest, it will be tough.
• (I cover mine while it's resting with an old clean tea towel that I keep for this purpose).
• If you wanted to make roast potatoes etc shove them in in the last hour that the meat is cooking. Try not to nibble as you carve or you will find everyone in the kitchen at carving time fighting you for the best bits :).

Steps:

• Cut most of the fat from the lamb.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in the pot and brown lamb slowly on all sides, about 15 minutes.
• Or you can brown in the oven in a roasting pan on high heat.
• preheat oven to 325°.
• Remove browned lamb& set aside.
• Sauté onion, shallots and garlic ( with pancetta, if used) until caramelized-about 20 minutes.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Discard fat in pan.
• Add wine and 2 cups stock and boil rapidly until reduced by half, scraping up any browned bits.
• Add herbs,tomato paste and reserved vegetables to pan.
• Return lamb, fat side up, to the pot.
• If needed, pour in enough additional stock to reach two-thirds of the way up sides of meat.
• Cover tightly and bake until done, basting often to keep the lamb from becoming dry.
• As the meat cooks and is constantly basted, the rich sauce is absorbed and the meat becomes very succulent.
• The dish is done when the lamb falls off the bone in pieces when prodded with a fork - this takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour per pound (lb) (metric = 1 hour per 450 g).
• (after browning).
• Plan on seven hours total for an entire leg of lamb. ( example calculation is based on a 2.8 kg / 6.1 lb leg).
• Remove the lamb to a platter.
• Cover with heavy foil to keep warm.
• Pour off all the liquid into a saucepan, skim the fat and boil down about 20 minutes, until it is rich and thick.
• Correct the seasoning and serve as a sauce over the lamb and vegetables.
• SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Serve with Potato & Root Vegetable Mash or Roasted Vegetables.