Saturday 10 October 2015

Moroccan Butterflied leg of lamb

For many people roast leg of lamb is the favourite meat, but carving one of these can be tricky and sot he prospect of a joint of lamb ‘sans’ bone is very attractive.  Now it may be that one wants the bone out just because it makes carving easier or, as here, because it will cook quicker and easier as a flat piece of meat than a round bone-filled one.

I remember on a visit to Australia a few years ago that butterflied leg of lamb was almost ‘de rigueur’ for the ‘barbie’ on Christmas Day so very popular.

If one has access to a decent butcher, it can be done for you at nominal or no cost, but boning a joint of lamb is probably beyond the average meat-counter assistant in a supermarket.  In any case it is not difficult and is quite satisfying (in a smug-making sort of way).

First prerequisite as in all things butchery is a sharp knife.  For this the blade should be neither too long nor too thick – a filleting knife is perfect but any thin-bladed knife will do as long as it is sharp.

Do not even attempt this if you do not have such a knife and if you do have a go, PLEASE mind your fingers – before you start cutting round the back of a bone please be sure you don’t have any part of your hand in the way.

First step is to locate the bone and then press the tip of the knife into the flesh somewhere along the line of the bone.

(The rounded end of the bone can be seen on the left)

Cut along the line of the bone through to the bone, up and down to make a great cleft, thus:

With the tip of he knife cut into the cleft round the top part of the bone (in the thick part of the joint) so that it comes free and looks a bit like the handle of a flintlock pistol.

That’s the easy bit but should give encouragement for the rest.

Now cut round the bone at the other(narrow) end of the joint so that the bone is now only attached in the middle.

Now cut round the middle part which is effectively a knee joint – it’s a bit fiddly but not difficult.  Take care to cut away the knee-cap as well.

Once the bone is out, the joint looks  like this:

Slice into any thick part and open it out to create as flat  and uniform a slab of meat as possible.  The more uniform it is, the better it will cook.

If you’ve got this far you deserve a drink!