Leg of lamb for Christmas? Or other suggestions than Turkey?

[MissChief]

Parents suggested foregoing turkey for a change this Christmas and suggested a gammon joint and a leg of lamb so I thought I’d surprise her with a top quality leg rather than something from a supermarket. Any suggestions? Fresh that can be frozen or frozen is fine, but I’d rather not spend more than £30-35 if I can get away with it!

Also open to any other suggestions for something a bit different too!

[21TonyK]

Depending on how fussy you are about lamb (ie. pink not grey!) I would be tempted to go with a shoulder and slow cook it. That way oven temps, timings etc all get a bit more relaxed on the day. You could even cook in advance and stick in a warming drawer on the day if you wanted.

Gammon? On Xmas day...? Boxing day with piccalilli surely!

[loskie]

I would second lamb shoulder too, but rolled shoulder. It's impossible to get wrong, so succulent and tasty. Leg hasn't enough fat in my opinion.

[Royal Jelly]

Stuffed saddle?

Your butcher will be able to prepare and stuff it, and tie it back up. Mix some mustard powder and flour and coat the lightly oiled surface with it a good dusting.

It’ll crisp the fat up, look great, and work with your budget (assuming you’re feeding 4-6? It’s dead easy because it’s a uniform cylinder, and if such things matter to you, present nicely when sliced on the plate.

Otherwise, a gently cooked shoulder, with the benefit of giving off more loveliness with which to make your gravy.

Neither of us are big on turkey, so beef rib roast on Christmas is usually the call.

[hiccy18]

Planning on a leg of mutton studded with rosemary and slow cooked (approx 90C) overnight served with sauteed tatties and shrewsbury sauce.

[Ham_and_Jam]

We also do a shoulder of lamb for Christmas dinner. Definitely better than a leg if done low and slow.

Prepped and put in the oven before we go to bed on Christmas Eve. Timer set to come on early morning and ready for about 12-1pm. Just take out and wrap in foil, then put on all the tatties and veg. No problem with timings doing if done that way as the meat will stay hot for well over an hour or two.

[CubanPete]

My Dad has an allergy to turkey (bizarrely nothing else!) so we do t often have turkey at Christmas.

My Mum's mate has a hobby organic smallholding. We usually have a joint of beef.

[Morvan]

hiccy18 said:

Planning on a leg of mutton studded with rosemary and slow cooked (approx 90C) overnight served with sauteed tatties and shrewsbury sauce.

Try it with slivers of anchovies and orange rind threaded into the meat as it roasts, it is delicous with slow cooked mutton.

[rallye101]

We did t-bones on the barbeque a few years back, umbrella in one hand and tongs in the other..
Was a great meal

[hiccy18]

Morvan said:

Try it with slivers of anchovies and orange rind threaded into the meat as it roasts, it is delicous with slow cooked mutton.

Now I would love that but the other half despises anchovies. Considering a boned n rolled shoulder with garlic and rosemary mashed up with a bit of butter in the middle before tying thanks to this thread.

Big fan of very slow cooking at Chrimbo! Xmas barbie sounds awesome but Weegies need wetsuits for going outdoors during the festive season.

[thebraketester]

hiccy18 said:

Now I would love that but the other half despises anchovies. Considering a boned n rolled shoulder with garlic and rosemary mashed up with a bit of butter in the middle before tying thanks to this thread.

Big fan of very slow cooking at Chrimbo! Xmas barbie sounds awesome but Weegies need wetsuits for going outdoors during the festive season.

You don’t really taste the anchovies, they sort of dissolve and just leave a very delicious salty-ness.

[hiccy18]

You mean I could just do it and not tell her, hmmm.... will put it on the stack but think Chrimbo will proceed as planned. Thanks for the advice though!

[Hanglow]

Goose is my preferred bird.

[anonymous-user]

I did a French trimmed loin of pork a few years ago.

Slow roasted, but then blasted for the last 30 mins to get the crackling just right.

[snowman99]

A good 3kg leg of lamb is easy enough - salt marsh or something local should be easy to find.
I don’t mind but some people find the shoulder too fatty. Depends on your guests.
Or rib of beef.

[dickymint]

Hanglow said:

Goose is my preferred bird.

Same here it's a shame it's not available throughout the year (I don't do frozen birds that large).
This year I've talked Wifey into removing the legs and to cook separately Confit style .........

[Morvan]

dickymint said:

This year I've talked Wifey into removing the legs and to cook separately Confit style .........

Can you confit prosthetics?