Go to the Recipe: Ultimate Sous Vide Leg of Lamb
Would love the mint jelly recipe if you are willing to develop one. Much more impressive to say you made it from scratch than to open a jar.
Looks amazing. I will try it on my girlfriend and hopefully she will finally eat lamb!
Amazing recipe and pictures!
BUT I'm planing to do in the oven for Easter Sunday. Any suggestions on the temp? I was planing to go for 120 C?
Not a big fan of mint jelly, but if you could come up with a rosemary jelly recipe (Rosebud Farms is great, but difficult to find) that would be awesome.
Just in time for easter. All that's missing is a recipe for mint jelly.
In your equipment list you recommend a Dutch oven, what kind of plastic containers are you using? I can't wait for my Joule to come in but love the idea of using the clear plastic bins!
not exactly jelly, but similar https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/mint-gelee
you should try cooking it in pomegranate juice and chick peas. super yum! you can thank http://www.zahavrestaurant.com/ in Philadelphia PA for that one.
Hi JT, thanks for letting us know! We'll definitely consider this for the future!
We're crossing our fingers!
Hey Tim, I think 120 C would work great. If you have the time I would try even going lower.
Its beautiful! Love that there was an explanation on why lamb has that game-y flavor, and how to fine tune it.
Christ Grant!! This is a masterpiece, You have gone beyond anything Heston has done! 13 pages to print it!!
You need to put some of these as PDF as its driving me crazy cutting & pasting to word so I have digital copies for reference which are better than bookmarks & can be burnt to DVD or saved on a Cooking drive Cheers, Ed
Hi Will! The vessel you see in the recipe photos is a Cambro and you can find a great selection here!
Hey Edwardo! If you press "print" right at the top of this page, you can usually select an option to "save as PDF" in the print window. We do that all the time in the office; maybe it'll help with your bookmarking system!
Unfortunately, I won't have a sous vide on hand by Easter. Is there an easy way to calculate how long to cook my lamb per pound for in a 75C (170F) oven (that's as low as it'll go)? Heston Blumenthal even suggested cooking the leg at 90C (194F).
I tried looking it up online, to no avail.
I don't have any sous vide bags big enough to fit an entire leg of lamb. Anyone have suggestions for something readily available? Would oven bags work?
I would love, love, love a great mint jelly recipe! It's hard to find a good authentic mint jelly, and hate resorting to that green stuff.
I am sure Grant & the team will answer, but you could put the lamb into a big ziplock bag put the lamb bag into cool water upto near the zip to get the air out & then zip it shut.
Next you need to find a big crock pot (slow cooker) or a big pot that will fit the lamb and water (lots) you can put the pot in the oven. You may need to bring the pot of water up to temp on top of the stove first say about 80c then put the bag in & pop it all in the oven, Ed
My wife doesn't think it is possible to eat lamb without mint jelly, so a mint jelly recipe would be icing on the cake!
Love the information on the gameyness - this has been a hotly debated topic with my family. My Armenian mom insists that the lamb here has a "smell" and she is unable to enjoy it. I'm wondering if the age/oxidation of the lamb cooked here is to blame or if the breed/environment plays a factor as well.
Did the ChefSteps staff have any testing or instincts on what the difference would be if preparing imported lamb as opposed to our local good 'ol USA options?
Ultimately this looks delicious, I love lamb, but your excess use of fossil fuel based plastics and insistence that boil in bag cooking (sous vide) has something to offer is just anathema to my aesthetics and understanding of food and cooking. I know you are all about the sous vide, but to me it's a gimmick that serves some value for commercial kitchens, but serves no value to the home cook (unless you consider something else to buy to clutter up your NYC apartment that ultimately you don't need a good thing). Oh of course helping to put more money into the pockets of Exxon Mobil. Because God knows what the world needs is more plastic. I paid for a premium account here I wish you would start cooking some real food in a real way -- in an oven . I'm never going to Sous Vide. At least give an alternative. Or maybe the point is this is your alternative to tradition (the new way of cooking!)and I just found the wrong site?
Love to see your take on mint jelly. Most of the mint jellies from the store make me cringe. If anyone can pull it off for Easter dinner, it's Chefsteps!
Why would you buy a premium Chefsteps membership if you don't agree with Sous Vide cooking? At least half their content involves Sous Vide techniques. You sir, need to obtain better decision-making skills. Sous Vide cooking is the future by the way, so get used to it.
This recipe looks absolutely amazing, unfortunately 2 of my budget sous vide circulators seem to have died just when I had bought a leg of lamb. They are over heating and shutting off and won't get a replacement for a few weeks.... So I'm going to have to go to oven...I was thinking 90c (non-convection) with 60 mins per 1 kg, then finish as per this ChefSteps videos. Any thoughts how well this might work? Will the mustard ised at beginning have similar effect if baked in oven...I think it might be a bit stronger flavor?
Yes, I would also like a good answer for this! Despite my chamber vacuum sealer, I'm used to using gallon Ziploc bags for bigger things like chuck and pork shoulder. Would the Ziploc 2-gallon freezer bags even be big enough for a whole leg of lamb?
Is there a reason for why you guys didn't vacuum seal the bag?
I look in disbelief at this comment:
Agriculture Marketing Research Center. Australians eat the most per capita,
If anyone knew anything then they would know that what Australia calls lamb is like eating a 4x2 bit of wood. Australia use of lamb is for "other" reasons by their farmers ;-)
If you want proper lamb use New Zealand lamb which has been chilled not frozen and scoring the skin needs to be real light as the skin adds real flavour.
I will try this but as a master at slow cooking lamb (and I love Sous Vide) I find that overnight in a pan with a light beer and rosemary underneath covered in tin foil for at least 16 hours makes it fall off the bone, and lamb is only cooked proper when it falls off the bone.
I've had mixed results cooking lamb sous vide and settled on just cooking it to temp for leg. When I bag leg of lamb for over 5 hours, it usually comes out mushy, not tender, and 24 hours seems like it would be worse. I see that you guys are cooking at a lower temp than I do, so interested to give that a try, but any thoughts on what variables are at play here? My usual set up is a little olive oil in the bag, some rosemary at 138F. Does the age of the animal make a big impact? Maybe where it was raised?
+1 on mushy, so disappointed in that outcome!
Looks great. Can't wait to get Joule to try it out!
A mint sauce recipe would be great. The real mint sauces are so good, fresh must be amazing
Another way to control the gamey flavor, which was not mentioned, is to butterfly the leg and remove the acid gland which can leech gamey flavors into the meat.
Hi, what temp did you cook at? I did a Sous Vide leg of lamb 2 weeks ago (before this recipe was up) and was worried as I read mixed reviews about people saying theirs came out mushy... I finally settled on 57c and cooked for about 18hours.... I smothered the leg in a Garlic and rosemary butter and finished using a searzall. My end result was a perfectly tender leg that tasted great.
I'm just curious, but I noticed the bag being used to cook sous vide is not a standard ziploc. Would you all have a link to Amazon (or similar) where I could find them? I'm guessing that the standard gallon ziploc might be a tight fit given the length of the leg of lamb vs. the bag. Thanks
I've done lamb before sous vide but quite a bit longer cooking 48 hrs @ 57c (134F) , I didn't get the impression it was mushy...but maybe the lamb meat quality is also having an impact...Definitely I've read others have had your experience as well, would love to know what factor can cause this ...
Grant, a quick clarification please, on the final trip into the oven did you use convection or a conventional 450 degree temperature setting? Recipe looks great and I'm looking forward to trying it. Thanks, JB
These big huge Ziploc storage ones will work, but make sure you double-bag: http://www.amazon.com/Ziploc-Double-Zipper-Jumbo-Bags/dp/B003U6FMOK, or something like this if you want to go even bigger: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Ziploc-Heavy-Duty-XL-Big-Bags-4-ct/14089250?action=product_interest&action_type=title&item_id=14089250&placement_id=irs-106-m2&strategy=PWVAV&visitor_id&category=&client_guid=fb206722-52e3-49f1-9595-41c2a4f21c26&customer_id_enc&config_id=106&parent_item_id=11027203&parent_anchor_item_id=11027203&guid=10762a31-5e3c-471a-9a91-32eeb2bf506f&bucket_id=irsbucketdefault&beacon_version=1.0.1&findingMethod=p13n
2-gallon freezer bags won't be quite big enough. This one will work though! http://www.amazon.com/Ziploc-Double-Zipper-Jumbo-Bags/dp/B003U6FMOK
This one will be big enough: http://www.amazon.com/Ziploc-Double-Zipper-Jumbo-Bags/dp/B003U6FMOK, or this if you want to go even bigger: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Ziploc-Heavy-Duty-XL-Big-Bags-4-ct/14089250?action=product_interest&action_type=title&item_id=14089250&placement_id=irs-106-m2&strategy=PWVAV&visitor_id&category=&client_guid=fb206722-52e3-49f1-9595-41c2a4f21c26&customer_id_enc&config_id=106&parent_item_id=11027203&parent_anchor_item_id=11027203&guid=10762a31-5e3c-471a-9a91-32eeb2bf506f&bucket_id=irsbucketdefault&beacon_version=1.0.1&findingMethod=p13n
Thank you!
If you truly didn't know that sous vide is the usual method of cooking utilized by ChefSteps before you purchased your membership, you really shouldn't be allowed online with a credit card. As far as "unless you consider something else to buy to clutter up your NYC apartment that ultimately you don't need a good thing" you really don't need anything to cook with period as there are many folks the world over who survive off of just eating completely raw foods. in the developed world, it's usually considered a subset of vegans called "fruitarians" (it's a thing, look it up). While the bags featured in the videos most likely are petroleum based, there are both vegetable based plastic bags out there, and there are recycled plastics that can also be utilized, not to mention the re-usable bags. "I wish you would start cooking some real food in a real way -- in an oven . I'm never going to Sous Vide. At least give an alternative." They do cook real food in a real way. just not a way that you prefer. Why should they give an alternative? If you want to learn how to cook for in a traditional method, i.e. stove, oven, hell even a campfire, there are thousands of websites out there. why should the chefs here at ChefSteps change their preferred methods of doing things because of someone who clearly had no clue what they were about, or seemingly anything about food in general? "Or maybe the point is this is your alternative to tradition (the new way of cooking!)and I just found the wrong site?" Yes, this method of cooking is their thing. You would have though someone who's been a member of this site for a month an a half would have figured that out by now. You utter lack of common sense this the stuff we all expect to see on youtube, however, it's pretty pathetic on your part, that you would come to their website, check them out, pay for a membership, and then complain like a self entitled child that you don't like the way they cook.
You could use the mustard OR herbs to help with the oxidation. The bag keeps things sealed and more predictable as it has no where to go (so the mustard can work). If you cook low and slow over aromats they will help tame some of the gaminess.
the older lamb is the more potential for gaminess (not to get all gross, but we all start to decompose faster as we age), so age is a huge component. Next is the lamb diet. They are herbivores, so heavy grains etc typically don't do their aroma well.
Hi, is the leg of lamb cold from fridge or room temp when placed in sous vide?
Should all meat be cold before placing in bath?
Thanks,
Deborah
Give me mint jelly. Please. Also maybe jugo de bolsa for bag juices?
That is the best thing, I was thinking why the didn't removed at all, when it renders really spoil the flavor. Actually don't need to butterfly the leg, just do a small cut between the muscles to find the fat where the glands is. Good point Alex
Cheers
You don't need to vacuum-seal the bag to get great results, but you certainly can if you have one!
You guys are so awesome! Your enthusiasm is so infectious!!
I noticed Coleman's mustard powder being used in the video. I looked for anti-oxidant differences for stronger mustards and couldn't find anything. Am wondering if the milder mustards would yield a similar result?
I'm a fan of the hotter (e.g. Coleman's) mustard, but some guests are not. How much of a difference will there be with regard to tastes and anti-oxidant activity (so lamb taste and mustard taste)?
Jumbo ziplocs!? My life is forever changed.
Does this principle of anti-oxydation only apply to lamb or could other game meat such as roe deer (for example) have the same treatment? I've tried long&slow 24 hours cooking with roe deer leg and it was a disaster. It smelled awful. The meat was fresh, but when I opened the bag after a 24 hrs bath at 140F, it was horrifying!
the meat stays in the bath for 24 hours - so it does not really matter if you put it in cold or warm.
The longer the mustard is cooked the more mellow the flavor, and if you add acid(vinegar) the mustard it will actually completely kill the heat, honest. So Coleman's + water = killer hot. Coleman's + vinegar = very mellow flavor.
As hot as you can get the oven. The idea is to get a deep crust and to render some of the lamb fat. If you have convection use it. If not, add some more heat or time.
First, until you or someone else invents a water proof, air sealed paper bag, plastic it is.
Second, Sous Vide is not a gimmick, it is, at least in my mind, the most amazing invention that takes out the guesswork from many cooking tasks. Don't critic it until you tried it.
Look above!
Check out the post above!
Oh yes! I found the XL and even XXL Ziploc bags at my local Target several years ago. I make sure to keep a supply of each in my pantry. I use them when I cure brisket or whole pork bellies. Helps keep my kitchen clean, too. I fold back several inches to keep the zipper clean, put the huge hunk o' meat inside as far as possible, then spoon in my rub/cure. I massage the cure into the meat with my hands inside the bag (keeps meat-juiced spice bits from flying all over my kitchen). It's nice to have a helper to flip over the bag so you can keep your hands "dirty" until both sides are rubbed, or you might be able to flip it with your hands still inside. I can fit two 15 lb. pork bellies in one XXL bag in a single layer that fits in the huge meat drawer in my fridge. It's so easy to flip them every day or so with no mess. RUN get you some right away.
Grant posted a recipe in the comments a few days after you asked.
I don't see why it would not. I believe that the gamey flavor in most meets is from fat oxidation, so this should work. I have never tried it, but I suspect adding a bit of Vitamin E and/or food grade Rosemary Oleoresin would also work very well and would then allow you to flavor as desired.
That is good to know about the vinegar? Does it still require heat or will the vinegar do it on it's own over time? Even spicy prepared mustard that I have had still have vinegar in them.
Right?!
If anyone has trouble with that link, this will do it: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ziploc-Heavy-Duty-XL-Big-Bags-4-ct/14089250. Always remove everything after the question mark in any long URL. Unnecessary and usually contains tracking info.
