Leg of Lamb w/Roasted Potatoes

[sassy]

Rack - yes or no???

I have two recipes. The one where potatoes are added 30 min into the cooking process calls for placing the meat directly onto the cooking dish surface and then surrounding w/the potatoes. The other recipe, sans potatoes, calls for placing the meat on a rack in the cooking dish. What influences whether a rack should be used or not???

 

[Bilby]

Fat! If you put it on the rack, all the fat and juices will drip into the bottom of the tray, leaving you a less fatty leg of lamb, but you would need to baste IMO more often to stop it from drying out. The fat will keep the meat moist and juicy. If you put it direct into the pan with the potatoes (part way through the cooking process), the potatoes and any other veges you add will absorb the fat in the skin making for nice crunchy bits. The meat should be moist and not need basting through the cooking process (although do check).

I do roast lamb (either as legs or steaks/chops) semi-regularly and always put meat direct on the tray. I add some veges at the start of the process, depending on the veges and don't add oil to the pan.

My favourite baste for my lamb is balsamic, honey, garlic with some herbs and seasoning.

Also consider that a leg of lamb direct on the tray, can be very tasty without any messing around, maybe just some pepper. On the rack, additional seasoning may be needed as the fat adds flavour to the meat. Alternatively, you would have a really lovely start for a gravy!!

 

[Andy M.]

...What influences whether a rack should be used or not???

A lot of times, it's just the preference of the person writing the recipe. You can add potatoes to roast whether or not you use a rack. The rack allows more circulation of heat around the bottom of the roast.

 

[sassy]

Okay thanks much!

 

[justplainbill]

Placing the lamb on a rack can make room for more potatoes and the top of the potatoes under the rack get better exposure to the drippings. At $2.99 per pound I'm looking forward to having leg of lamb this evening and barley soup and shepherds pie with leftover lamb a few days from now.

 

[ErikC]

When I do a leg of lamb, I like to marinate it first in olive oil, garlic and rosemary. And I don't use a rack either.

But when I do want to use a rack for other meats (whole chicken, for instance) I make my own with celery and carrots. It achieves the purpose of getting the meat off the metal, plus adds some aromatics for a really good gravy afterwards. And you don't have to clean the rack!