Roast lamb

bisloy, Dec 31, 9:38pm
I cook mine covered until tender, then take the cover off and crank up the temperature. Comes out yummy everytime.
pennyo, Jun 22, 8:03am
So we love roast lamb and I often cook it. When I was a child and mum used to cook it the crispy skin would be my favorite part and would have a lovely crunch. However when I cook it, although the skin looks golden and crispy, it's actually tough and chewy. The meat is lovely and tender but id love a bit of crispy skin.

Is this tough skin down to the quality of the lamb, or am I doing something wrong when in cooking it? I cook it at 160 for just under 1hr per kg
sarahb5, Jun 22, 9:13am
I coat mine in oil and flour before roasting but your mum probably used dripping or lard
pennyo, Jun 22, 9:25am
Yeah she would've used dripping. Does the flour and oil make it crispy and not tough and chewy?
sarahb5, Jun 22, 9:31am
Yes it seems to but I put mine into a really hot oven and then turn it down to about 150-160 straightaway so the outside is seered too - hopefully one of those things will help! I tend to cook mine long and slow but the skin is always crispy/crunchy
rainrain1, Jun 22, 11:27pm
Maybe the lamb needs a layer of fat under the skin. how lean is it?
rainrain1, Jun 23, 1:46am
Well actually there is no skin on it of course! lol Not enough fat perhaps?
lespat, Dec 27, 10:19pm
What would be long and slow.? Have been told some cook in oven bag
sarahb5, Dec 27, 11:21pm
I use an oven bag, add a cut lemon to it and roast for about 5 hours on 100 degrees if I have time
lespat, Dec 29, 1:34am
Wow, I rubbed in honey & mint plus twigs of rosemary. First 30 min at 200 and then 5 hrs at 130. Best roast lamb we've ever had even if I do say so myself LOL. Just fell off the bone and so tender.
beaker59, Dec 29, 5:40am
Lamb needs more fat on it. the delicious crispy bit is not skin but rather the fat layer once most of the fat has been rendered out. Also your Mums roast was more likely a hogget or mutton roast so older tougher and fattier making it much better for slow roasting.

Modern lamb is different its younger, tender and lower fat and smaller joints so suited to faster roasting and serving a bit pink in the middle. Also delicious in its own way :)
samanya, Dec 31, 5:16am
beaker, you are right. Lamb has way less fat, but still damned good done slightly under.
I remember when the parents had a couple of really fat hoggets processed . the fat on them was almost embarrassing when she got them back from the butcher!
She cooked a leg & had to tip off a huge volume of fat half way through slow cooking it & was the best ever.
It sort of self basted & the skin was great.
mrcat1, May 23, 6:06pm
The lamb wont be any different, the butchery will be different, you will find nowadays the supermarkets cut all or a lot of the fat off, and also farmers get a penalty on the pay out if the animals are over fat, it is a sign of the times with healthy eating coming about, cutting out animal fats, I have some home killed legs of lamb in the freezer with a good 30mm of fat all over them, they are huge as they are last years lamb and a mate knocked over a couple for me before Xmas and they should of gone for export, a lot would depend also on what is available to the works buyers at the sale yards etc.