How and how much to cook lamb?

Before any process of cooking lamb, including boiling, it is necessary to remove excess fat from the meat. Otherwise, after heat exposure, a rather pungent and specific smell will be released, which can spoil the impression of the dish. If the lamb is frozen, then defrost it first in the refrigerator, and then for several hours at room temperature. A gradual change in temperature conditions will improve the palatability of this type of meat.

If lamb is boiled in a regular saucepan, then after washing the meat, it must be placed in boiling water so that the liquid completely covers it. It is better to pour water with a traditional reserve of 2-3 cm. It is recommended to salt and add spices at the initial stage of boiling lamb. The lamb will produce a lot of fat during the cooking process. Excess should be removed periodically with a spoon or slotted spoon. It is recommended to cook lamb under a closed lid over medium and then over low heat.

The nuances of cooking lamb:

• before cooking, it is necessary to remove not only excess fat from the lamb, but also the tendons (sometimes there is a characteristic film on the lamb, which must also be removed);
• it is recommended that before cooking lamb, pour it with water at room temperature and leave it to soak for one and a half or two hours (during this time, the meat will get rid of all possible contamination and unnecessary components);
• to improve the aroma of lamb, it is recommended to add chopped or whole onions to the water at the initial stage of cooking;
• bay leaf should be added to lamb during cooking with great care (the smell of bay leaf is rich, which can lead to a change in the aroma and taste of lamb);
• in order to exclude the digestion of lamb, the meat must be regularly checked for readiness with a sharp knife or fork;
• to speed up the cooking process of lamb, the meat can be cut into small pieces (the smaller the pieces, the faster the lamb will cook).

You can cook lamb not only in a regular pan, but also using:

• pressure cookers (young lamb in a pressure cooker can reach readiness within 40-50 minutes);
• multicooker (lamb can be cooked in the “Cooking” or “Stewing” mode, according to the cooking speed in the first case, the meat will be cooked in 2,5 hours, in the second – in 2 hours);
• steamers (young lamb is cooked for 1-1,5 hours);
• microwave ovens (this method is best used only in case of emergency).

Lamb can be cooked using any kitchen appliance, but it is better not to cook meat of that type in the microwave. In this case, large pieces of meat will not be boiled, and small pieces will be cooked in 20-30 minutes. Microwave-cooked lamb will not have the characteristic aroma and richness of taste. This option is only suitable for making quick soup.

How to cook mutton

Depending on the age of the lamb, it is cooked for different times. Young sheep meat can be cooked in an hour and a half, and older mutton in 2-3 hours. The main nuance of cooking lamb is not to overcook the meat. Otherwise, it will become too harsh.

The cooking time also depends on the part of the animal’s body. For this method of cooking lamb, it is better to take meat on the bones (if you need a rich broth), neck or shoulder, or brisket. On average, this kind of lamb will cook for 1,5-2 hours.

If the lamb is cooked for soup, then it can be cut into small pieces. Thanks to this nuance, the cooking time will be reduced to 30 minutes. The meat is pre-prepared in the traditional way of washing and removing fat and tendons.