# Classic lamb recipes???



## M3502 (Apr 26, 2013)

I have a lamb (butt) piece of meat thawing for dinner to tomorrow. IIt weighs 4.59lbs. Any ideas how to make it with a classic twist? How long should I leave it on for a medium rare taste???


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## 4meandthem (Apr 26, 2013)

Lamb and barley stew with lots of carrots would be good. You probably need to cook that thing low and slow. Any good stew recipe would work.


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## buckytom (Apr 27, 2013)

cut 1" slits all over the sucker, stick thin slivers of garlic and a small sprig of rosemary in each slit, rub with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and frezhly grpund black pepper.

place on a rack in a deep baking dish over halved, large, new potatoes and halved onions (that both have been tossed in olive oil, paprika, turmeric, thyme, and s&p), and put in a 350 degree oven until the meat reaches about 145 degrees in the thickest, meatiest part away from a bone.

about half way through, you should scoop and turn the potatoes and onions so they crisp on more than one side.

man, i want some lamb and spuds right now.


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## Mad Cook (Jun 20, 2013)

M3502 said:


> I have a lamb (butt) piece of meat thawing for dinner to tomorrow. IIt weighs 4.59lbs. Any ideas how to make it with a classic twist? How long should I leave it on for a medium rare taste???


As a foreigner, may I ask what a lamb or pork "butt" is? I would assume it to be from the back end of the carcass but have come across the shoulder called the butt.

American cuts of meat differ from Britishones (hell, cuts of meat even vary from one part of the British Isles to another!).


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## Whiskadoodle (Jun 21, 2013)

from those nice people at wikipedia who provide arm chair research and make kids school home work obsolete ...

*Boston butt* is a cut of pork that comes from the upper part of the shoulder from the front leg and may contain the blade bone. 

In pre-revolutionary New England and into the American Revolutionary War, some pork cuts (not those highly valued, or "high on the hog," like loin and ham) were packed into casks or barrels (also known as "butts") for storage and shipment.[2] The way the hog shoulder was cut in the Boston area became known in other regions as "Boston butt". In the UK it is known as "pork hand and spring", or simply "pork hand".

I usually call lamb shoulder -- Lamb shoulder. And a leg of lamb comes from the back end, but isn't a ham like pork. Confusing.


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## Steve Kroll (Jun 21, 2013)

I realize this post is a couple of months old, but I didn't see it the first time around.

I buy a half lamb every spring from a guy over in Wisconsin and am always looking for different ways to prepare it. Cuts like shoulder/butt have a lot of flavor, but usually require long cooking times over low heat to break down all the collagen and connective tissue. For this reason, it's a nice cut to use for stews and curries. 

Below is one of my favorite recipes for lamb curry. The cut you have would work wonderfully. Note that there is nothing "quick" about this recipe. It will take much of the afternoon to make and has a lot of ingredients, but if you have the time and can find everything, it's well worth the effort. I guarantee you won't get anything better in a restaurant.

*Lamb and Potato Curry*

*Ingredients*


2 lbs lamb stew meat, cut into 2" chunks
3-4 onions, sliced
2 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp minced ginger
1 28 oz. can tomato puree
3-4 Tbsp oil or little more
2-3 green Cardamom pods
4-5 cloves
1 inch Cinnamon stick
2 black Cardamom pods
2 Bay Leaves
2 Tsp Cumin seeds
1 Tsp Turmeric powder
1 Tsp red Indian chili powder (or you can substitute a 50/50 mixture of parika and chili con carne seasoning)
2 Tsp Coriander powder
1 Tsp Garam Masala powder
2-3 Tbsp full-fat Yogurt
2-3 large Potatoes, cut into big pieces, say quartered or six pieces
Salt to taste
1/2 cup Fresh Coriander Leaves, chopped
1-2 green chilies, seeded and chopped

*Preparation*


Heat oil over medium low heat in a large dutch oven and add the cloves, bay leaves, black and green cardamom pods, and cinnamon.
When the mixture becomes fragrant and crackles, add the onions. Saute the onions until they begin to soften, and add the cumin seeds, ginger, and garlic. Continue cooking over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn a light brown.
While the onions are cooking, in a separate pan over medium high heat sear the lamb pieces, 3 or 4 at a time, until brown on all sides. As the lamb finishes, set it to one side and continue until all of the meat has been browned.
Add the tomato puree, turmeric, chili powder, and coriander powder to the dutch oven. Cook over medium heat until the until enough of the liquid has evaporated that the mixture has thickened considerably and begins to look somewhat dry.
Reduce the heat and add the yogurt. Mix until the yogurt is blended in.
Add the lamb, along with 2 cups of hot water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the lamb pieces can be easily speared with a fork, about 45-60 minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the dutch oven.
Add the potatoes and garam masala. Simmer uncovered over low heat until the liquid is reduced to a gravy like consistency, and lamb and potatoes are fall apart tender. Season to taste at this point with salt. If the consistency is too thick, you can add a little water.
Garnish with the coriander leaves and and, optionally, with chopped and seeded green chilies.
Serve the lamb curry over basmati rice with an Indian flat bread (naan, tandoori roti, chapti, etc).


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## Kylie1969 (Jun 21, 2013)

Steve, we will be giving this one a try, it sounds lovely!


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