Beginning chefs are often unsure how to cook lamb. It can be intimidating, but these tips can help you get lamb that is unique and flavorful.

In Praise of the Butterflied Leg

Slow-braised shank and seared lamb chops are the most popular cuts of lamb, but please, reconsider the leg. We don’t cook big cuts of meat as often as we used to—Sunday roast lamb with mint sauce and peas is rare now. And unlike Greek restaurants and tavernas, most of us don’t have a rotisserie grill. But ask your butcher to butterfly a leg, removing the bone and flattening the meat so you can grill it like a steak. Marinate it—olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and rosemary—and grill it for about 15 minutes per side to form a crust, then grill until a thermometer registers 145 degrees fahrenheit for medium rare.

World of Flavors

All lamb-eating cultures have added signature spices that make the meat their own. These flavors are the key for how to cook lamb with international flair.

Greek: oregano and lemon.
Indian: coriander.
Chinese: cumin.
Syrian: zaatar.

French: rosemary, garlic.
Lebanese: allspice.
 
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