The food lab better home cooking through science ( PDFDrive ) 792

BONES
Q:I’mconfusedbyallofthebutcheringoptionsIhave
whenbuyingalambleg.WhatshouldIbelookingfor?
Bone-in leg of lamb comes in two forms: shank end and
sirloinend(occasionallyyou’llfindamassiveoneforsale,
withboththeshankandsirloin).Shank-endlegsstartatjust
abovethelamb’sankleandgotomidwayupthecalfbone,
whilesirloin-endlegsstartatthehipandstopataroundthe
knee.
I prefer the sirloin end because the meat is fattier and
more tender, and the cut is more evenly shaped, making it
easier to cook. On the other hand, the shank end tends to
haveslightlymoreflavorfulmeat.Anditstaperingshapeis
actually desirable for cooks who like being able to offer
bothmedium-raremeatfromthethickupperpartandwelldonemeatfromthethinlowerpart.
There are advantages to buying a bone-in lamb leg. It’s
generally cheaper per pound, even accounting for the
weight of the bone. The bone can act as an insulator,
makingthewholethingcookmoreslowlyandgivingyoua
certain leeway in terms of hitting that medium-rare sweet
spot. Contrary to what some believe, the bone does not
actually add much flavor to the meat, though the meat
directly around it will be a tad bit more tender, due to the
factthatitwillbelesscooked.
Butbonedlamblegalsooffersadvantages.Firstofall,it’s
lighter,makingthearduoustaskofliftingitinandoutofthe
oven much easier on the back. It’s also easier to calculate
howmuchyouneedtofeedyourparty.Finally—andthisis


probably the greatest advantage of all—it’s far easier to

carve:justcutstraightthroughitintoneat,evenslices.
Butterfliedlegoflambisabonelesslegthathasbeensplit
openandthenopenedout.ThisishowIprefertopurchase
my lamb; it affords me the opportunity to season it both
inside and out. Often this just means a quick rub with salt
and pepper before rolling it up and tying it, but it can also
meanmoreelaboraterubsorherbmixtures.Ifyouchooseto
go with a butterflied leg, you’ll need to know how to tie it
upbeforeroasting;seehere.
Q:Whataboutrackoflamb?
Rackoflambisthelambequivalentofaprimeribofbeef.
It’s that same muscle and same set of rib bones.The only
differenceisthatalambismuchsmallerthanasteer;hence
the daintier proportions. And while beef rib bones are
generallycuttowithinafewinchesoftheeyeofmeat,lamb
rib bones are left longer, which makes for a stunning
presentation—as well as giving you a convenient handle
with which to hold your chops if you choose to eat
caveman-style,gnawingthejuiciestchunksofmeatandfat
offthebonesattheend.
When it comes to buying racks, you’ve got two basic
options:asisorfrenched.“Frenched”isjustafancywayof
saying “we stripped the meat from the ends of the ribs for
you so they look all nice and pretty.” Because it looks so
nice,mostlambracksdocomefrenched,buttobehonest,I
prefer unfrenched racks because the juicy, fatty rib meat
clinging to the bones is some of the tastiest stuff on the
animal.Thinkofitaslambbacon.