Tasty tips for cooking perfect lamb every time
Cooking lamb to perfection
Lamb's health benefits
Buying the best
Roasting times
Different cuts: leg of lamb
A leg of lamb is fairly lean so take care not to overcook it, or it becomes dry. It can be roasted on the bone, or de-boned, then roasted or barbecued. A de-boned leg of lamb is known as butterflied. You can open it out, spread with crushed garlic, chopped rosemary and some mustard, then roll up and tie.
Get the recipe for butterflied leg of lamb with roasted vegetables here
Different cuts: shoulder of lamb
Lamb shoulder is full of flavour but it does need long, slow cooking to ensure it's tender. It has more natural fat than the leg so you won't dry it out. It's best cooked on the bone. Our simple recipe for lamb shoulder involves a long marinating time and then super-slow cooking. It's finished with balsamic vinegar to give a rich, syrupy glaze.
Get the recipe for roast shoulder of lamb with shallots and balsamic vinegar here
Different cuts: lamb shanks
Shanks are cut from the lower part of the hind legs. They are juicy and very meaty, and need long, slow cooking on the bone in wine or stock. Try the cut in a Mediterranean-style dish. Brown the shanks with a selection of vegetables, then slow-cook in port and red wine, with garlic and herbs.
Get the recipe for slow-cooked lamb shanks with braised vegetables here
Different cuts: lamb loin chops
These are like a mini T-bone steak, with the loin on one side and the fillet on the other. Just like cutlets, they are great for grilling or barbecuing, and can be marinated in different spices and herbs. In our recipe, they are grilled then served with a feta and thyme salad, which is a great combination with lamb.
Get the recipe for grilled lamb chops with tomato and feta here
Different cuts: minced lamb
Incredibly versatile and great value for money, there are plenty of ways to use lamb mince. For burgers, meatballs, kebabs and more, it's worth having a pack or two in the freezer. Lamb skewers are an easy midweek dinner that make use of the minced meat mixed with ground coriander, and pan-fried.
Different cuts: rack of lamb
Lamb ribs tend to be a little more pricey than other cuts but they're worth it. When they're cut into chops, they're lamb cutlets. Because they are small, they cook quickly and are best served pink. A rack is usually six cutlets so would happily feed two. Individual cutlets are lovely grilled or barbecued.
Different cuts: rump of lamb
The rump comes from the hind quarter of the lamb. It is lean and tender so be careful not to overcook it. Buy it off the bone then you can sear it, quickly roast in a hot oven and thickly slice to serve. One rump will serve two. Our roasted lamb rump recipe has a Spanish twist, served with butterbeans, chorizo, tomatoes, spinach and crème fraîche. Best of all, it's on the table in 35 minutes.
Different cuts: neck of lamb
Neck is excellent value and it's a good buy because it can be slow-cooked, quickly grilled or pan-fried. It's a much cheaper option than leg to use in kebabs, for example. Our Chinese-style kebabs recipe, which involves marinating and grilling with a punchy dipping sauce, is worth a try using neck instead of leg.
Classic partner: mint sauce
Classic partner: Shrewsbury sauce
Leg of lamb: roast lamb with salsa verde
Salsa verde, which literally translates to green sauce, is a classic Italian condiment which partners with lamb perfectly. It's quite sharp so it cuts through the richness of the meat. Consisting of a blend of fresh herbs, vinegar, garlic, capers and olive oil, any leftovers would also be great with chicken or grilled halloumi.
Minced lamb: stuffed aubergines with manchego
Channel a taste of the Med with lamb-stuffed, baked aubergines. Cook lamb mince with onion, garlic, red peppers, spices and tomato, then pile it into baked and hollowed out aubergines. Top with nutty Spanish manchego cheese and roast in the oven. If you can't find manchego, substitute with Gruyère. This would be a perfect weekend lunch, served with a green salad and crusty bread to mop up the juices.
Leftover lamb: ragù
If you have leftover roast lamb, this is a great way to use it up. Stir into a simple ragù (meat sauce) which can be served with pasta, polenta or mashed potatoes. It's pretty much based on store cupboard ingredients with some everyday vegetables.
Minced lamb: spicy lamb sandwich
This spicy hot sandwich takes a toastie to a new level. The lamb is cooked with tomato, onion, ginger, garlic, chilli and spices before being sandwiched into a homemade roti, and fried until crisp. But you could happily buy flatbreads if you don't want to make your own. The spicy lamb mixture will freeze well too.
Lamb shanks: lamb with Cheddar mash
Slow-cooked lamb shanks in fennel, white wine, tomatoes and herbs, then served on rich, cheese-laden mashed potato. What's not to love? The method for the mash is a little different and so clever. While the lamb is cooking in the oven, bake the potatoes at the same time, before scooping out the flesh and adding mature cheese. Don't let the potato skins go to waste – for a snack, bake them in a hot oven until crispy.
Lamb shoulder: slow-cooked stew
An easy, one-pot dish, lamb stew is always a winner. Cubes of lamb are slow-cooked with root vegetables and ale. Potatoes are also cooked in the sauce for the ultimate meal in a bowl. If you want something on the side, serve with buttery kale or spring greens.
Lamb chops: lamb and asparagus traybake
Spring is the perfect time for this dish, when both lamb and asparagus are in season. With just five ingredients, this traybake really lets the produce shine. Plus, it's on the table in 25 minutes. It would be lovely with homemade mint sauce.
Minced lamb: lamb and chorizo burger
For a burger with a difference, the combination of minced lamb shoulder and chorizo certainly packs a punch. The fresh apricot salsa is a perfect accompaniment. If you have trouble finding fresh apricots, it would work well with fresh mango too.
Leg of lamb: slow-cooked Lebanese lamb
If you love slow-cooked dishes that you can leave all day to do the hard work, this is the recipe for you. If you don't have a slow cooker, it can also be cooked, covered, in a very low oven. The lamb needs marinating in a fragrant Middle Eastern spice rub before cooking, but there's very little hands-on time required. Serve on flatbreads with fresh coriander, a tomato salad and thick yogurt.
Leg of lamb: Indian-spiced lamb
This is a real showstopper of a lamb dish. A spice and yogurt-based paste is used to marinate the lamb, which ideally you should leave in the fridge for three hours. You could happily leave it overnight for even more flavour. It would be great served with raita and a big bowl of rice, with chopped fresh tomatoes mixed with a little chilli and lime juice.
Neck fillet: lamb tagine
The combination of lamb with dried fruit, plenty of spices, preserved lemons and honey in a tagine, makes for an exciting flavour combination. This version contains chickpeas for extra protein but you could always serve with a bowl of couscous to help mop up the delicious sauce.
Minced lamb: meatballs in yogurt, pea and herb broth
If you're looking for a lamb recipe which is fresh and light, this could be the one for you. The fresh vegetables and herbs make it the perfect dish for when you're feeling a little under the weather or just need perking up. The broth contains chervil which you can replace with flat-leaf parsley, if you like.
Get the recipe for lamb meatballs in yogurt, pea and herb broth here
Lamb shoulder: slow-cooked lamb with spiced rice
This dish isn't complicated but there are a few elements to prepare, most of which you can do ahead of time. You'll need to make the spicy marinade and leave the lamb shoulder to sit in the fridge for a day or two. It's then slow-cooked in a tomato-based sauce and served with a dried fruit, minced lamb and rice mixture. The lamb is tender with a crisp skin – a really special dish.
Get the recipe for slow-cooked lamb shoulder with spiced rice here
Loin or chops: lamb with tapenade
This dish has the aroma and taste of Provence, and if you can't get loin or lamb chops, you could use cutlets or leg steaks. Lamb with olives is a classic combination in southern France, and here it works to perfection with a homemade tapenade. Serve with a simple green bean and radish salad, and small new potatoes.
Leg of lamb: dopiaza
Lamb, or often mutton, is widely used in curries across India and Pakistan. A dopiaza is always a winner, with plenty of spices, tomatoes and yogurt. The result is a creamy sauce, rich with sweet onions and topped with fresh coriander. You can add mint instead if coriander really isn't your thing. Serve with naan or Indian flatbreads.
Lamb shoulder: stuffed shoulder with cockles
Lamb and seafood is an underrated combination. Stuffing anchovies into a joint for roasting is a great idea, for example, but we love this pairing of a butterflied and stuffed lamb shoulder served with cockles cooked in white wine. Lamb’s natural sweetness against the salty molluscs makes for a more-ish surf and turf dish.
Leg of lamb: roast lamb with pecorino and garlic
It may sound a little odd to combine lamb with cheese, but in this instance it works brilliantly. The saltiness of the pecorino (a hard Italian cheese) combined with crushed garlic, contrasts well with the sweetness of the lamb. This is one of those great dishes which requires little preparation and just cooks happily in the oven for an hour or so.
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