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Preview Recipe

Red Wine-Braised Leg of Lamb

Prep time
4-6 hours PT6H
Cook time
2-3 hours PT3H
Yield
4-6 servings
Difficulty
4 out of 5 on the difficulty scale
Nugget Markets signature recipes

While this dish may take some time to prepare, it is well worth the wait. 

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons ground coriander
  • 1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • 1 leg of lamb, deboned and butterflied
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 ribs celery, diced
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cups red wine
  • 4 cups roast chicken or beef stock
  • 2 bay leaves

Preparation

In a bowl, mix the cumin, coriander, salt and pepper, and then liberally sprinkle over the lamb. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Take the roast out of the refrigerator at least 45 minutes before cooking. Roll it into a uniform tube shape so that when you slice it, your cuts go against the grain of the meat. Tie it with butcher’s twine to ensure even cooking.

In a large oven-proof skillet, heat the oil until it starts to smoke slightly. Sear the tied roast on all sides until dark golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. When roast is seared, remove and set aside. Add the carrots, celery and onion and sauté until the onion turns transparent.

Deglaze the pan with red wine, bring to a boil and let liquid reduce by half. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the bay leaves, place the roast back in the pan, cover and put the whole pan into the oven. Roast for 2 hours.

After 2 hours, check for doneness. The internal temperature of the meat should be 170-180°F, and the meat should easily shred with a fork. If the meat is not fork tender, place back in the oven, covered, for up to 30 minutes more.

When the roast is done, take it out of the liquid and cover it with foil to rest. Strain the braising liquid and bring back to a boil; reduce it by two thirds, skimming off any excess fat as it rises to the top.

When the sauce is reduced, slice the meat into 1-inch slices and serve with a liberal amount of the sauce.

Techniques used in this recipe:

braise
braise: a cooking method in which the main item, usually meat, is seared in fat, then simmered in stock or another liquid in a covered vessel.
butterfly

butterfly: to cut an item (usually meat or seafood) and open out the edges like a book or the wings of a butterfly.

deglaze
deglaze: to use a liquid, such as wine, water, or stock, to dissolve food particles and/or caramelized drippings left in a pan after roasting or sauteing.
reduce
reduce: to decrease the volume of a liquid by simmering or boiling; used to provide a thicker consistency and/or concentrated flavors.
roast
roast: a dry heat cooking method in which items are cooked in an oven or on a spit over a fire.
sear
sear: to brown the surface of food in fat over high heat before finishing by another method (for example, braising) in order to add flavor.

Glossary:

bay leaves

Sweet Bay of Laurel is native to the Mediterranean region where it grows to an evergreen tree up to 40-feet high. It is found extensively in the milder climates of North America; the leaf of the California Bay Laurel is long and tapered, bright green in color, and extremely pungent - from two to three time more pungent than that of the European variety.

The uses of Bay are many and varied. Eggs, meats, game, soups, casseroles, and sauce benefit from the judicious use of this herb; use it sparingly, however, for it is dominant by nature.

coriander seed

An annual, native to the Mediterranean region. Due to extensive cultivation over the centuries, it now grows wild in most parts of Europe. Morocco supplies most of the Coriander imported into the United States.

It is not a terribly popular spice in American kitchens which is unfortunate because it possesses a lovely aromatic quality that compliments a wide range of meats and seafood, desserts and breads, and curry sauces.

The leaves and stems of the coriander plant are pungent and have a flavor which would be perceived as pecular if one was tasting it for the first time. The plant is widely popular and is known as cilantro; an extremely important herb in Mexican, Central and South American and Asia foods.

Pair with

  • Shiraz

    This leading red grape of Australia, much like the French Syrah, makes seductive, mouthfilling wines filled with fruit flavors. Shiraz is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon.

  • Pinot Noir

    Pinot Noir is known for its remarkably lithe, silky textures and earthy aromas. The best Pinots exude warm baked cherries, cedar, cigar and chocolate. Pinots are typically high in alcohol and lighter in body, color and tannins than Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Zinfandel.

  • Sangiovese

    Responsible for the three great wines of Tuscany: Chianti, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino, Sangiovese is Italy's most famous grape.