Lamb cooking time
One of the better cuts of lamb is the breast. It is more succulent than some of the other parts and although it can have a fat covering, it is best not to trim this off but rather to leave it on as it will help the lamb to self baste during the cooking process, and will greatly increase the taste. The total lamb cooking time will depend on the size of the breast but if you get yourself a meat thermometer you will be able to use this to cook it to your liking, as some prefer it pinker than others.
One of the most popular cuts is a leg of lamb; it is one of the recipes that once prepared you can leave in the oven until it is ready without having to intervene in the meantime. You can either buy it with the bone in or out, this is really down to your personal preference but some people would argue that leaving the bone in gives the meat a more intense flavour during the cooking process. Either way, you will need a slightly longer lamb cooking time if you buy it with the bone in. You could just put it straight into the oven, but it will benefit from having some preparation first. Make a rub by combining garlic, thyme, and any other herbs you might have around, but rosemary works particularly well. Crush it together in a pestle and mortar and rub it all over the lamb, it will improve the final flavour.
Depending on the amount of fat covering your meat has should determine the total lamb cooking time. If it does not have much fat on it then it should be served pink as cooking it longer will cause it to dry out. If you prefer your meat to be served more well-done then you should be looking for meat with a greater amount of fat as it will remain moist during cooking, even better if it has a covering of fat on top of the meat as this will allow it to self baste while cooking. If you have chosen to braise it then you will need to turn it periodically during cooking to ensure it is cooked evenly on all sides.
For an even more flavoursome and succulent leg of lamb you can score the joint before putting it into the oven and stud the gaps with garlic and rosemary, these two flavours are ideal for lamb. For perfect gravy use the juices left in the roasting tin, you will need to adjust the total lamb cooking time to allow the gravy to be made after you have removed the lamb.
