When cooked to perfection, lamb is tender and flavorful meat. It can be a showstopper at any spring lunch if cooked correctly, and the best part is there are a diverse array of spring lamb recipes that are quick to whip up and can instantly lift your menu.
This hearty meat is a springtime favourite, and when armed with the appropriate tricks, you can overcome your initial hesitation of cooking with lamb. Techniques like oven roasting, grilling, or slow-cooking do wonders for lamb. Read on to learn more on how to cook the perfect lamb.
How to Cook the Perfect Lamb
Cooking lamb incorrectly can leave you with chewy, stringy, or overcooked meat. Following appetizing lamb recipes introduce you to a world of enticing flavours. Adopting the correct cooking approach is essential to ensure your cooked meat remains juicy.
Staying clear of the listed six mistakes when cooking your lamb assures you of satisfying results:
Opting for Boneless Cuts
Cooking lamb on the bone lends immense flavour to the meat. The deliciousness from the bone as it seeps into the lamb while cooking is what you will miss if you cook with boneless cuts. Carving the cooked lamb is not a difficult proposition either. Moreover, eating off the bone is a joy worth experiencing. There it is advisable to select a cut with bones on it.
Failing to Thaw the Lamb
Bringing the meat to room temperature before cooking is a critical step. Placing the cold lamb directly into the grill or oven will produce an uneven cook and lengthen the cooking time. Depending on the size of the cut, allow for adequate thawing time so you can be sure of an even and reasonably timed cook.
Overstretching the Marinating Duration
Marinating or soaking the lamb in salted water to tenderize it for an extended duration could result in nutrient loss and mushy cooked meat. Although marinades with good seasoning and spices build depths of flavour besides tenderizing tough meat, lengthy exposure to salt and acid destroys the lamb’s integrity.
Please stick to the timeframe suggested in the recipe for the marinade to do its job without weakening the lamb’s protein content. Coating the meat’s surface with flavorful, aromatic, and acidic ingredients for a short time does not permit the salt and other acids to penetrate the lamb’s outer layer, which ensures that the meat remains tender and soft.
Not Resorting to a Meat Thermometer
Meat thermometers are designed to indicate the cook on the lamb. Although the cooking and charring on the meat is a personal preference, a thermometer with its precise reading gives you a reliable indication of the cook. Overcooking the lamb makes it dry out, while undercooked meat is far from edible.
Skipping the Resting Time
Failing to allow the meat to rest before slicing into it is a costly mistake. The lamb juices evenly distribute when you cater for resting time, rewarding you with a moist protein. Cutting through the meat without allowing it to rest leaves you with an unappetizing dry lamb.
Wrongly Slicing the Lamb
Slicing lamb against its grain assures you of tender meat pieces. The lamb’s grain is the direction in which its muscle fibres run. When you slice with the grain, you end up with chewier and tougher chunks of lamb.
