Depending on the cut, lamb will keep for 2 to 4 days in the coldest part of the refrigerator.

Kept in the freezer at -18° C, a piece of lamb will keep for 6 to 9 months. Why not have a frozen leg of lamb on hand to prepare an impromptu meal: a family party or friends passing through?

Ground lamb, on the other hand, won't keep more than 4 months in the freezer. Each piece of meat should be stored in a tightly-closed freezer bag.

Defrosting a leg of lamb : the right tempo !
To defrost a leg of lamb of 1,8 kg, you must allow about 12 h, for instance a night in the fridge. If you choose to defrost at ambient temperature, you shall begin with passing the leg of lamb under fresh water, it will defrost then in about 5-6 h, but you will have to cook it without delay. In the micro-waves, it will only take 30 minutes.

Lamb should be served as hot as possible: take the time to heat the serving platter as well as the plates.

To allow the meat on a leg of lamb to relax after cooking and to be more uniformly pink and tender, let it rest for at least 15 minutes in the oven, with the heat turned off and the door partly open.

Thanks to its tender and tasty meat, lamb has always had a reputation as a refined dish. It occupies an important place both in fine cuisine as well as in everyday cooking. While there may be nothing like a leg or baron of lamb to delight your guests, nothing will please your children more than a nice tender lamb chop.

For a long time, lamb has symbolized spring in rural regions. At the same time Easter lamb is appearing on the market, there are also tender new vegetables, herbs and fresh garlic on the stem that make perfect accompaniments.

Accompaniments
Traditionally, lamb is served accompanied by flageolet beans or green or white beans, but it is equally delicious with mushrooms, sautéed small potatoes, or a vegetable gratin made with squash, eggplant or pumpkin. It can also be served with fruit - for example, apples, figs or bananas.

Lamb 101 - Pairing each cut with the cooking method

 

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It is important to pair each cut with the cooking method that will best enhance it. Grilled, roasted, pan-fried, braised or simmered, lamb lends itself to a thousand and one recipes. Here are a few tips for cooking it successfully.

Choosing lamb
Depending on the recipe you wish to prepare and the amount of time you have, you can choose a cut of lamb suited to quick cooking or one for slow cooking.

Cooking lamb
Whether roasted, grilled or sautéed, lamb should be served medium-rare or, at the very most, medium; if overcooked it is liable to dry out and lose its refined texture.

 

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Quick-cooking cuts
These cuts are suited to roasting, sautéeing and simple grilling, flavoured with herbs (thyme, marjoram, oregano, savory, rosemary, dill…).

Leg of lamb is usually roasted and served as is, au naturel.

Rack of lamb is oven-roasted whole or cut into rib or loin chops that can be grilled or pan-cooked.

Shoulder, whether deboned or not, is prepared in the same way as a leg. For roasts, consider as well the loin, saddle or baron, a magnificent cut consisting of the two hind legs and loin.

The preferred cooking method for lamb chops is grilling. The grill should first be preheated to a high temperature so that the meat will be well seared and thus retain its natural juices. During the cooking, never pierce the meat of the chops with a fork when turning them: they will lose their juice. Use a spatula, and for the same reason, salt only just before serving.

 

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Cuts for Slow Cooking
The breast, cubed shoulder, ribs and neck are used in simmered dishes such as braised lamb with beans, navarin, daube, blanquette, tagine, lamb curry, etc. Braising or "boiling" cuts should be cooked for a long time over very low heat.