Lamb cook times

[Mith]

Cooking lamb

I've just been 'informed' that I need to have a meal on the table tomorrow evening.
Anyway, I got told shortly after I put my last chicken in the oven to roast for tonights dinner.
All I've got left is a leg of lamb, so I pulled that out to defrost.
I've not roasted a lamb joint before, so I have no idea how long it needs to cook. I'll probably go for the 'cook it till its done' method, but a ballpark figure would be handy to know.
Joint weighs about 4 pounds if I've converted correctly.


BTW, before anyone says look at the label, sheep don't come with labels on

Thanks

 

[Jim_S]

I don't have a clue how to cook one, I'm just a lowly moderator, not a cook

BTW, before anyone says look at the label, sheep don't come with labels on

Thanks

That was the second thing I was going to say. The first was "Have you checked with JohnDay?" He's our resident sheep expert.

 

[Mith]

Yea, but Jim, John doesnt cook them

I'm sure he could tell us all sorts of things about sheep though

 

[Doc]

Mith, I don't know either, but I found this for you:

The most important thing to remember about cooking a lamb roast is to not over-cook it. Lamb has such wonderful flavor on its own, and is so naturally tender, that it is bound to turn out well, as long as it is still a little pink inside. There is some debate over which method yields the best results - slow cooking at low heat the entire time, or searing first on high heat and then slow cooking. James Beard in his American Cookery prefers the slow-cook-low-heat method (he rubs the roast with salt and pepper and cooks it at 325°F the whole time.) We generally get great results with the searing method, starting at high heat and then dropping the temp which is the method described in the following recipe.

from: http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/001720roast_leg_of_lamb.php

The recipe looks good.

 

[Mith]

Ahh, good site Doc, found this

Roast at 425°F for 20 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 300°F and roast an additional hour (for a 6 pound roast), about 10-12 minutes per pound. If you are cooking a roast bone-in, the bone will act as an insulator and will require a longer cooking time than a boneless roast.

Sounds like about 1:15 hours will be about right (20 mins + 40 mins + a bit as its got a bone in)

Cheers

 

[Mith]

Well chaps, its in, so only time will tell.
I'm looking forward to it already! Went outside and grabbed a few bits of rosemary off the bush and poked them down into the meat.

Hopefully it'll be as good as the chicken I did last night. Same veg (mashed carrot and swede, peas and sweetcorn, roast potatoes and parsnip and onion). Might do some broccoli tonight though seeming as you cant have stuffing with lamb.....

 

[Doc]

Hope it comes out as good as last night's Jim.
Looks good for sure.

 

[Jim_S]

Doc, we need to head over to Jim's place, it should be done in a 1/2 hour or so.

 

[Mith]

Well guys, it took about 1:45hr for perfection, so not too far out.

Not as good as last night, but still, you should have been here
I dont know what women make all the fuss about, this cooking lark, easy!