Amazingly Tender Lamb Roast
When I was a child, my parents would raise our own cattle for meat, and because of this, I have always been fond of having meat that I know how it was raised. Between six and eight years ago, my parents decided to begin raising lamb for meat, especially after discovering how much they enjoyed the flavor of it, and then witnessed the prices in the market for simple cuts of lamb.
Once my husband and I began dating, he too was introduced to lamb, and discovered he also enjoyed the meat. Because of this, we would eventually trade with my parents and end up with our own sheep. Upon slaughtering our own ram, it became mandatory to discover some great recipes to utilize when preparing the meat, especially when one considers the actual cost of the cuts if it were to be purchased in a grocery store.
That is when I had to turn to my mom for suggestions regarding the mandatory requirements for a flavorful roast. Working from what she informed me of, and building upon other recipes, I discovered the following as an excellent recipe. Not only this, but because every one has a different preference for BBQ sauce, it is also a recipe which can be tested to create the flavor each desires. Alongside this, there is also the ease of prepping the recipe.
I remember informing my husband's VVA representative that I would bring him and his family some prepared lamb and being told that while he loved lamb, however, his wife was extremely picky about how it tasted. Nonetheless, I decided to brave it any way, and used this recipe and took a generous portion of the remaining roast for my husband's VVA representative and his wife to sample. A few days after dropping the lamb off, my husband called to inquire of the final thoughts regarding the meal and his representative said it was amazing.
A few weeks later, I had the pleasure to meet his representative's wife. Upon learning I was the one to prepare the lamb, she proceeded to inform me that she normally was extremely picky about lamb, and that after tasting this precise recipe, she had never had a better prepared lamb. This is just one of the many instances that I have received high compliments for this easy, yet perfect recipe!
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 2-4 lb. leg of lamb or lamb shoulder
- 3 tbsp. minced garlic
- 2 c. BBQ Sauce, (prefer either Jack Daniel's Original Recipe or Cattleman's Original Recipe)
- 2 -4 tbsp. rosemary garlic
- 1 tsp. meat tenderizer
- 1 tsp. ground mustard
- 1 med. yellow or white onion, slice into rings
- Using a sharp knife, cut several deep slits throughout the lamb, inserting the minced garlic into the deep slits.
- In small bowl, combine rosemary garlic, meat tenderizer, and ground mustard, and then use as a rub on the lamb.
- Cut the onion into rings and place along the bottom of sprayed slow cooker.
- Place the lamb on top of the onions and then cover with the BBQ sauce.
- Cover and cook on low 5-7 hours, depending on your precise slow cooker. Do not overcook, or the meat will become tough.
- Remove the lamb from slow cooker and allow to sit for 15-20 minutes before serving.
One of the primary keys to remember whe working with lamb is to let it "set" for a few minutes before serving. Alongside this, amazing sides to go with this meal include: salad with a vinegrette base, simple bread (such as buttered french bread or buttered garlic Texas Toast), and a red wine.
This meal is extremely flavorful, but complementing it with the correct sides helps. Other great options are potatoes anna and glazed carrots; sauteed onions, peppers, and zucchini with a soy buttered mushrooms; or even something as simple as garlic mashed potatoes. The primary focus is to compliment the garlic in the lamb, which is best accomplished with another slight garlic base or an excellent vinegrette base. The flavors work well together.
Another discovery I have uncovered is that a simple bread such as an artisian or french bread is the best to go with the meal, lightly toasted and buttered. To create a bread that has flavorful addictives can truly take away from the flavor of the lamb, and should be avoided, but this is only a personal preference.
