1st time cooking a piece

karyn10, Mar 20, 3:33am
of roast lamb. can i put it in the crockpot or roast on baking paper?

Thanks in advance

cookessentials, Mar 20, 3:36am
If you want to roast it, then into a roasting dish would be best as the crockpot will casserole it.

cookessentials, Mar 20, 3:37am
Courtesy Good Morning

How to prepare, cook, rest and carve a leg ofgood old New Zealand lamb&

Weekend roasts at home always featured lamb and my Mum was an expert at this job. I sometimes think now that the old leg was perhaps a little overdone. It is now more commonly accepted to have your lamb pink or at least "medium". The real success of a perfect roast lamb lies in the technique and small details along the way that make it a tasty and delicious winner. It must be accompanied by real homemade gravy and fresh mint sauce!

Roast leg of lamb with garlic, rosemary & a mustard crust
Serves 8

1 leg of lamb, with bone (you can use rolled but the flavour is not as good)
1 clove of garlic
1 small sprig rosemary
3 kalamata olives (optional) or three pieces of lemon rind
2 teaspoons fine salt
2 tablespoons smooth Dijon mustard
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
1 stick celery, roughly chopped
1 small onion, roughly chopped
1 small carrot, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil

Dry the leg with a tea towel and trim off any excess fat. Slice the garlic into 6 and pierce the skin inserting pieces evenly over the leg. Repeat with the rosemary and olives. Season on all sides with the salt. Brush the leg with the mustard then sprinkle on the breadcrumbs mixed with the herbs. Arrange the chopped vegetables into a roasting dish then place the lamb on top. Drizzle with the olive oil and put into a pre heated oven at 160C. Cook for 11/2 to 2 hours depending on the size of the leg.

How do I know when it's cooked?
Use a small sharp knife and pierce the thickest part of the meat. Hold the knife there for 5 seconds and remove. If the juices run out of the cut 'clear' it is ready - if they are 'bloody' or 'pink' it will need another 15 minutes approx. If you enjoy medium - rare lamb then a little pinkness in the juices will mean it is ready.

How to rest your roast
Place the lamb on a hot dinner plate next to the oven or in a warm position, away from any draught. Cover with tightly with two layers of tin foil and a tea towel. This important stage allows the meat to 'relax' before carving and it will become more tender.
Whilst it is resting - for a minimum of 20 minutes you can prepare the gravy.

Homemade gravy
Pour off any excess fat in the roasting dish, leaving a little in the dish as this is necessary to bind the gravy together. Sprinkle 3 tbsp of flour into the roasting dish and and place on a medium element to start cooking. Stir the flour in with the vegetables and mix to a paste. Then add 1/4 cup of red wine (I like to use any left over red wine for this) and cook till it has evaporated, you may need to turn the heat up further for this.

Once the wine has fully evaporated start to add some boiling water or the cooking water from your vegetables on the stove - this will add extra flavour as it will be rich in nutrients. Continue to add liquid and keep stirring till a smooth sauce is formed. You will need between one and two cups of liquid for the sauce. Turn the heat down then simmer for 10 minutes allowing the flour to cook out and this gets rid of that floury taste. There may be some juices that have settled under the lamb roast, add these into the gravy. Check the seasoning, adjust if necessary with more salt and pepper. Strain through a fine sieve and pour into a warm sauce boat.

Sides

Nothing beats a big pile of crispy roast potatoes with sliced roast lamb. I like to boil chunks of peeled potato for 15 minutes then place in with the lamb, turning them every half hour or so. Green vegetables are must as well - beans plunged into boiling salted water for 5 minutes or sweet baby peas, drained and tossed in a bowl with some sliced mint, a knob of butter and a squeeze of lemon juice with sea salt.

karyn10, Mar 20, 3:39am
wow thank you for that, i didnt even know how to make gravy! !

cookessentials, Mar 20, 3:40am
Courtesy Beef & Lamb NZ

Roasting techniques
Roasting is a dry heat method that may use a small amount of fat or oil as a baste. The meat is cooked in an oven or on a rotating spit over a fire, gas flame or electric grill bars.

Different roasting methods
Some meat cuts suit high temperature roasting while others are better roasted at low temperatures.

Joints with fat cover - beef and lamb cuts with plenty of outer fat cover, fat seams or marbling are best roasted at low to moderate temperatures. This results in less shrinkage and better serving yields.

Very lean or totally trimmed cuts are better rare-roasted at higher temperatures, or first seared then roasted.

Slow roast: low temperature, under 160° C (but no less than 100° C)
Moderate roasting temperature, 170°C to 180° C
Fast roast: high temperature, 200° C or over
Sear then roast: brush lean surfaces with oil. Brown meat all over in a hot, dry pan then transfer to moderate oven, 180° C, to complete cooking
Roasting tips for top results:
If possible, take meat from refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking.
Trim excess fat and silverskin if necessary.
For very lean cuts, sear or brown lean cuts first. Pre-searing a roasting cut in a hot pan improves colour and flavour, particularly when using small, very lean beef or lamb cuts that need only short cooking.
Roast on a rack. When practical, place meat on a rack to roast. This allows even heat circulation and browning.
Self-basting. Roast beef or lamb with fat side uppermost to allow natural bastin. g
Netting and trussing. Collagen film, netting or twine may be used to hold plain or filled roast cuts in an even shape for cooking, portioning and carving.
Resting after roasting. After cooking, before carving or serving beef or lamb, allow meat to rest, approximately 5 minutes for every 500g meat. For example: 15 minutes for a 1. 5kg beef roast. Resting enables temperature to even out, the meat fibres to relax and reabsorb some of the juices. The relaxed meat becomes more tender and easier to carve with less loss of juices.
Slow roasting cooking times in oven preheated to 160° C - 170° C
Note weight of meat to calculate cooking time.

A large piece of meat requires fewer minutes per 500g than a smaller cut
The thickness of the meat cut affects the cooking time; thick, chunky pieces take longer than thin cuts of the same weight.
Roasts with bone in cook more quickly than boned and rolled roasts

cookessentials, Nov 16, 2:55am
Courtesy Beef & Lamb NZ
When is the roast ready?
The perfect rare, juicy roast of beef. What is the chef's secret for success? The answer: knowing the correct degree of doneness. The degree of doneness of both large and small meat cuts is always measured at the very centre of the cut. The following methods will determine the degree of doneness:

Use a meat thermometer - You can place the thermometer in a large cut of meat before roasting. Insert it into the thickest part, away from fat or bone. Take a medium-rare beef eye of striploin for example: you can be sure it is done when the internal core temperature has reached approximately 60 deg C (140 deg F).
Press meat with tongs - Lightly press the outside centre or thickest part of the meat. Rare meat gives under pressure, is soft and springy. Medium is slightly firmer. Well done is firm. You will learn to judge doneness by experience. When calculating temperature/ timing ratios, remember to take thickness of the meat into consideration. Teach yourself to judge doneness by sight, smell and feel.
A final test - If you are still unsure, as a last resort, test for colour of meat juices. Pierce meat in the thickest part using a fine metal skewer. See above chart for colour of meat juices.
Remember that the internal temperature will continue to rise after the meat is removed from the oven or pan, and for a time during resting. This transference of heat can change the internal temperature of a small joint by 2-4 deg C after 5 to 10 minutes. And in larger joints, the internal core temperature can rise from 4-10 deg C after 15 to 20 minutes.

Therefore, allowing for this "carry-over" cooking, roast meatcan be cooked to about 5deg C below the desired degree of doneness.