Know Your Cuts - Lamb

Grilling or BBQ'ing Cuts

• Neck fillet
• Chump or leg steaks
• Shoulder steaks
• Loin chops
• Cutlets

Cooking Tips

• Ensure steaks are up to room temperature before cooking by taking out of the fridge 30mins or so before cooking.
• Ensure the grill is hot prior to cooking to ensure the meat gets sealed.
• For succulence don't overcook or prod during grilling.
• Grill for no longer than a few minutes each side, depending on thickness, (i.e. for a fairly thick steak around 2cm thick allow up to 5mins each side.
• Always allow to stand after cooking to keep the tasty juices inside the meat and not the pan!

Stir-frying

• Mince
• Strips which can be from cut up steaks or chops
• Cubes

Cooking Tips

• Use either pre-cut strips, or if using steaks cut them thinly across the grain into 1cm strips, this prevents shrinkage and helps to tenderise.
• Have all the vegetables prepared prior to cooking the meat. Allow about twice amount of veg to meat.
• Heat 5ml of oil, add meat first and fry for about 4 mins or until just cooked through, then add veg and sauce and stif fry for another 2 mins. This ensures veg are still crispy and meat is not overcooked.

Roasting

• Joints from the
• Shoulder
• Leg
• Best end
• Rack

Cooking Tips

To calculate cooking time allow 25-30mins per 500g weight and then add an extra 25mins

When joint is cooked allow to stand out of the oven for at least 10 - 20 mins to ensure a more succulent roast.

Slow Cooking

• Chops
• Shoulder Steaks
• Middle Neck and scrag
• Breast
• Skirt
• Shank
• Cubes from the neck, shoulder, or leg

Cooking tips

Slow cooking provides a great way to tenderise a joint or some of the tougher cuts and can be done in the oven or on the hob along with some root vegetables. Also, a good way to use up all those veg in the bottom of the fridge.

Use about a pint of vegetable stock or any liquid of your choice including red wine or brown beer to add extra flavour. Just ensure the meat and veg are coated in liquid to start with and the ovenproof dish is covered with a lid or foil. Then allow to simmer for about 3hrs, or more if it's on a real low heat or on the hob. Just check the liquid levels to ensure it doesn't dry out.

Check out some great recipes on the Simply Beef and Lamb website