Lamb Chuck Roast...

[texassourdough]

We did a dinner party Saturday night. I always try to have something to put in the oven the next day and this time it was a lamb chuck roast. It almost looked like a standing rib roast of beef so I am guessing it was the cut immediately forward of the rack of lamb. I probably should have taken a picture but it didn't last long enough! Anyway, here's what I did.

Lamb Chuck Roast

3 # lamb chuck roast
1 T. olive oil to coat the roast
1 1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 t. garlic powder
10 4 inch long springs of rosemary

I coated the lamb with the olive oil and then seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Put it in a small dutch oven and tossed in the rosemary.

Placed it in my oven at 280 degrees F and took it out six hours later. It was meltingly tender and gave wonderful lamb jus. The rosemary gave it a heavenly bouquet.

Made some gravy with the jus and served with oven roasted veggies (onions, carrots, fennel, zuchini, mushrooms).

Served with Travigni Gattinara. A great match!
Jay

[blackjack]

Re: Lamb Chuck Roast...

Sounds great. I believe it's difficult to get Lamb in the US? Over here (we're just one mile from the Welsh border) it's the meat of choice for Sunday lunch. For really good lamb see if you can find any that's been raised on salt marshes.

[dmun]

Re: Lamb Chuck Roast...

I believe it's difficult to get Lamb in the US?

Not at all. In fact much of our lamb comes from Australia. If you're in an area with ethnic food stores, you can get lamb, or goat, or rabbit, pretty much anything you want.

[cynon767]

Re: Lamb Chuck Roast...

Sounds great. I believe it's difficult to get Lamb in the US? Over here (we're just one mile from the Welsh border) it's the meat of choice for Sunday lunch. For really good lamb see if you can find any that's been raised on salt marshes.

It's not that it's difficult, it's just a good deal less common than beef or pork. Slightly more expensive, but not much. Pity, too... I do so love it.

[nissanneill]

Re: Lamb Chuck Roast...

For really good lamb see if you can find any that's been raised on salt marshes.

There is areal trend today over here to raise the sheep out in the drier areas of Australia where the rainfall is in the single figure bracket, out on the sheep stations where the most abundant food source is salt bush (Oldman saltbush - Atriplex nummularia). Do a google search for saltbush to find out more, there is plenty of info there.
The lamb there, (or better the mutton or hogget - the older full-tooth sheep or weathers) are bringing the highest prices. Quite a distinct flavour and very sought after. We still pay Aus$20-30 for a lamb leg roast over here so it is not 'cheap' anymore. Even the farmers are getting a premium price for their stock but are not as willing to sell as they are trying to restock after the drought and hard times but getting around $70-80 per head.

Neill

[RTflorida]

Re: Lamb Chuck Roast...

What IS difficult to get in the US is domestic lamb. Not sure of the reasoning, but sheep/lamb have fallen out of favor with ranchers here. Nearly all that is sold here comes from Australia or New Zealand. If you can find it 2 things are certain - 1) the racks will be 6-8 ozs. larger than those from down under. The US ranchers wait an extra couple of months before butchering, giving a bit more meat on the bone. 2)The downside is the price. I can usually get Aussie or NZ racks for $13.99 - $17.99 a lb, the domestic lamb starts in the high twentys and goes up to about $40 a lb. Sorry to say, I can eat the hell out of lamb chops and the cost for just my wife and I is around $100 for domestic lamb, if I buy the inport the 2 racks are aound $40. I will stick with the lamb from down under at those prices.

RT

[nissanneill]

Re: Lamb Chuck Roast...

Unfortunately, the 'in-laws' have retired from the farm nowadays. They used to milk a couple of cows each day (just for themselves and some locals in the township) and alaways kept at least one cow in milk, so that meant a yearking beef slaughter once a year. At 10c per kg slaughtering fees, it was damn cheap best quality meat. Lamb, well the father in law would never kill lamb as it was always worth more on the hoof than his old full mouth weathers, would be killed on demand. Always one the day before we returned from the farm with a rather large esky full of fresh meat and produce.The old sheep were hanging on the hook overnight within a 1/2 hour from grazing in the paddock and so tender and flavoursome. You would never choose the young lamb over those, but now all gone!!!
It's full price from the butchers and 'saltbush lamb' is around 50% dearer than normal lamb.

Neill

[blackjack]

Re: Lamb Chuck Roast...

What IS difficult to get in the US is domestic lamb. Not sure of the reasoning, but sheep/lamb have fallen out of favor with ranchers here.
RT

That's what I thought.

We usually eat Welsh Lamb - but as has been mentioned Hogget is much more flavoursome but very difficult to find and expensive.

Prices in the US and Aus sound similar to here.

I think I'll try and order up some to slow cook in the WFO at the weekend.

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: Lamb Chuck Roast...

The Christmas Day lamb roast (4lb) we did came from Sam's Club and was $3.99/lb. Here in CA we can get lamb year 'round and it almost always comes from New Zealand. I wanted to try something different this year so I brined it. Then, after rubbing with olive oil, garlic paste (lots!), dried rosemary and salt and pepper, placed it inside my smoker, opposite the fire inside. The fire was built from oak lump, contained in a 12" square-walled open box made of firebrick splits. It cooked at 325* and made the whole backyard reek of garlic, and then roast lamb. I pulled it 2hrs 35min later when the internal temp registered 162. I could not tell any difference from the brine, but it was delicious nonetheless. Since we had turkey for dinner as well, there was enough leftover lamb to make a proper Irish lamb stew the next day. Yum!