We typically advise that a 1kg leg of lamb is a good quantity for serving 3-4 people, ensuring 200g of juicy, tender meat per person. If in doubt, err on the side of pleasure. There's no harm in buying a fraction too much leg of lamb since leftovers can be repurposed for delicious lunches and snacks. After all, too little leg of lamb might well make for some rather grumbly dining companions! Show You can purchase your lamb leg online from Peter Bouchier. We offer expedited lamb leg delivery across Melbourne. Or, if you prefer, pop in and have a chat with our passionate team and peruse our lamb range for yourself in person. While you’re there, feel free to ask our friendly team for advice on the best lamb leg preparation techniques and accompaniments - we’d be very happy to help. When buying lamb, look for meat that is brownish pink with a layer of creamy white fat. Avoid lamb that is grey in colour, excessively bloody or has very yellow greasy fat. The age and breed of animal can make colour vary. Rare lamb breeds or older animals tend to have more deeply coloured flesh. Leg of lamb is a classic roasting joint and is most commonly roasted with the bone in but can also be boned and rolled. Look for pink meat covered with a layer of firm, creamy white fat. Shoulder of lamb is cut from the foreleg. It's cheaper than other roasting joints and contains a higher proportion of fat. The shape of the bone makes it more difficult to carve than other joints. Its fattiness makes it a great cut for slow cooking. Roast or braise it on the bone for extra flavour. A rack of lamb is a cut of ribs from between middle neck and loin. It is an expensive joint because the ‘eye’ of meat is particularly tender and flavoursome. It can be trimmed and roasted whole or cut into individual chops for pan-frying. Lamb shank is from the lower leg and has a large proportion of fat and connective tissue. The bone can sometimes be exposed and should be creamy white. It’s best to braise lamb shanks as slow cooking turns the meat tender. As the fat and bone marrow melt into braising liquid, they add flavour and body to cooking sauce. Britain’s earliest spring lamb is on sale just in time for Easter, but although this meat is tender, it does not necessarily have the best flavour. The animals are still very young, and have not yet spent enough time grazing on lush pasture for their meat to develop much flavour. British lamb is in its prime in early summer, and it continues to improve right the way through to the autumn, during which time the flavour develops as the animals get bigger and the joints increase in size. New Zealand has a similar climate to us and plenty of pasture, which means it produces very good lamb. And although it was once always frozen, regular air traffic means chilled fresh lamb is now readily available – and at its best in January, February and March, when British lamb is in short supply. Buying tips: what to look for
Different cuts of lamb The animal can be divided into three: the fore end, the middle and the hind legs.
From the middle
From the hind legs
Recipes to try for different cuts of lamb Scrag end Neck Whole shoulder Best end Best end lamb chops Loin Lamb loin chops Loin fillets Noisettes Chump chops Lamb breast Lamb shanks Butterflied leg of lamb Leg of lamb How do you pick a good leg of lamb?You want it not too dark, lighter in color. And the key is, don't be scared of cooking lamb. It's one of those things where it's not the common dinner table meat, but it's a wonderful piece of meat. It's no different than beef, really, how you treat it.
What is the best cut of leg of lamb?The shank is a meaty cut from the lower end of the lamb leg. Excellent for slow cooking, it's great value and the bone running through the centre provides a lot of the flavour, releasing collagen as the joint cooks and tenderising the flesh.
Which is better bone in or boneless leg of lamb?Bone-in can be more flavorful but trickier to slice and serve. It also takes longer to cook. Boneless does have a quicker roasting time and is easy to carve, but this cut might be more expensive.
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