If your Homeschooling and your children are taking a cooking class then you may want to celebrate May 7th with them which is National Roast Leg of Lamb Day. Allowing our family to prepare Lamb which none of us have ever cooked before. I know David and Charlie would enjoy Roast of Lamb which they would also use in a Philly Steak Sandwich which I will pass on because I don’t eat Lamb. Do you?
National Roast Leg of Lamb Day occurs annually on May 7 to celebrate and encourage everyone to try out Lamb. This mild and tender meat is a unique and tasty dish adored by people around the world. Lamb is lean red meat full of nutrients like potassium, vitamin B-12, iron, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids. This generally more tender meat is typically taken from Sheep between the ages of one month and one year old.
Lamb is the tender meat of a younger sheep aged between 10 and 14 months, whereas meat from older Sheep is called Mutton. ‘Hogget’ is another word for Sheep’s meat, but this is specifically referring to Sheep in their second year. Traditionally, Sheep were kept solely for their Meat, Milk, and skins. However, the rearing of Sheep for secondary products and the resulting breed development including Woolly Sheep only began in Southwest Asia and Western Europe around 6000 B.C.
Today, the tradition continues with the growing consumption of Lamb meat, considered one of the most desirable types of meat because of its various nutritional benefits, tender texture, and low-fat characteristics in comparison to other types of meat. According to the Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A.) guidelines, Lamb contains less fat than other red meats.
Lamb can be cooked in a variety of different ways, but roasting is one of the preferred methods. A typical preparation would require covering the meat from the leg of Lamb with several seasoning ingredients including Butter, Oregano, Cauliflower, Thyme, Lemon Zest, Asparagus, or Rosemary Sprigs. These are then pushed deep inside incisions made in the leg before being grilled for about two hours at a temperature of about 680 degrees Fahrenheit.
NATIONAL ROAST LEG OF LAMB DAY ACTIVITIES
- There is no better way to celebrate National Roast Leg of Lamb Day than to roast a Lamb.
- Invite some friends over and organize a Lamb roasting party or picnic.
FACTS ABOUT LAMB AND SHEEP
- In its first year, the meat of a Sheep is Lamb, whereas that of a juvenile Sheep older than one year is Hogget, and an adult sheep is Mutton.
- On average, a three-ounce serving of Lamb has only 175 calories and meets the Food and Drug Administration’s (F.D.A) definition for lean meat.
- The oldest organized industry specializes in raising Sheep.
- All American-raised Lambs are hormone-free and can be offered as antibiotic-free.
- Americans eat less than a pound of Lamb each year on average.
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL ROAST LEG OF LAMB DAY
- Compared to Beef, Lamb is firm with a tender texture that soaks in flavor, with just a hint of smokiness.
- A 100-gram serving of Lamb typically has 25.6 grams of protein, 16.5 grams of fat, and 258 calories.
Recipe for Roast Leg of Lamb
Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hour 45 mins Additional Time: 10 mins Total Time: 2 hours 10 mins Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 5 pounds leg of lamb
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
Directions
- Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Cut deep slits on the top of leg of lamb every 3 to 4 inches; push slices of garlic down into the slits. Generously season with salt and pepper.
- Place lamb on a roasting pan; arrange several sprigs of fresh rosemary under and on top of the lamb.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the lamb reads at least 135 degrees F (57 degrees C) for medium-rare to medium doneness.
- Cover lamb with aluminum foil and let rest for at least 10 minutes before carving
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
