The secret of the longevity of the venerable Caucasian elders is not so much in the clean mountain air and walking after the flocks, but in a special meat menu. A favorite delicacy of mountain residents is lamb, namely a tender and juicy leg of lamb, rubbed with a mix of aromatic spices and whole cooked over a fire or baked in the oven.

Each of the numerous nationalities living at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains and in their surroundings has its own secrets of cooking meat, and we will share some of them.

Leg of lamb is the main dish of the feast

In the Caucasus, not every guest is greeted with a leg of lamb baked in spices, but only the most desirable and respected ones. If you have to host someone special at home, then you can treat him with this delicacy. And in order for it to turn out just right and make you want to try the additives, you should start cooking it by choosing the meat.

• Only from the meat of a young lamb (this is considered an animal under 1 year old) can you prepare a real meat delicacy. The color of the fillet will help determine the age of the lamb: in a young specimen, the tenderloin is light with a pinkish tint, tender and practically fat-free.
• Thin layers of fat on lamb are white. A yellowish tint indicates that the ram has lived in the world for several years.
• Lamb shanks for baking in the oven must certainly be fresh. It’s easy to determine freshness: press your finger on the fillet, and if it springs back and there is no dent left on it, then you can take it.
• Of course, you can freeze lamb fillet on the bone, but the taste when cooked will not be as impressive as the taste of fresh meat.

The subtleties of cooking a leg of lamb in a home oven

The first and, perhaps, the most important subtlety is that the meat must be kept in a spicy marinade before being sent to the oven for baking.

The marinating period is at least 12 hours, and even better – 2 days. Such a long stay in the marinade is necessary to remove the specific aroma of lamb fillet.

• Usually, meat can be washed in any water, but lamb can only be washed in warm water. Cold water will not cope with the fatty film that covers the meat fibers of lamb from the inside, and will not clean contaminated areas well.

• The leg can be baked either on the bone or without it. If you prefer the second option, then before marinating the shank you need to put the meat part down, make a cut along the bone and remove the bone in a circular motion (using trimming).

You should not cut off all the fat layers, otherwise you will end up with a piece of fillet that is too dry on the plate.

• Zira easily eliminates the unpleasant smell and at the same time gives the lamb an appetizing spicy aroma.
• Add a little dried basil, a couple of sprigs of tarragon, a pinch of mint, ground cardamom, a handful of sesame seeds, and oregano to the olive oil-based marinade. Adjust the quantity to taste. And no flavor enhancers!

Leg of lamb baked in the oven in a spicy marinade: Caucasian recipe

Ingredients

• - about 2 kg + -
• - 3 large cloves + -
• — 100 ml + -
• Collection of spices for lamb- 0.5 tsp + -
• Jeera grains - 2-4 tsp. + -
• Coriander seeds- 1 tsp. + -
• Red hot pepper (powder)- 1 tsp. + -
• - 1 tsp. + -
• Rosemary - 1-2 tsp. + -
• - 1-2 tbsp. + -
• — 1 stk. + -

How to bake a delicious leg of lamb in a home oven in foil

We offer one of the best recipes for baking lamb shank. It is simple and economical, but in order to make a real delicacy from young lamb meat, you will need time to marinate the fillet. Therefore, plan a feast with Caucasian flavor in advance.

Let's make the marinade

• First of all, let's combine cumin in one mortar (it is indispensable when cooking lamb - don't spare it!), coriander, peppercorns (black), rosemary.
• The grains of all these spices need to be crushed or ground, but not too finely. You can use a special kitchen spice grinder or a regular coffee grinder.
• Add spices for lamb (sold in the market), chopped garlic cloves, and red chili to the aromatic mixture.
• Now pour all the spices collected together with olive oil and salt. The consistency of the marinating mass should be the same as mashed potatoes - medium thick.

Let's start preparing the meat

• We wash the leg, cut off the lower part at the joint - there is still not enough meat there.
• Cover the leg of lamb with the aromatic oil mixture and rub it in thoroughly. For a better effect, you can first make holes in the meat with a sharp knife and put part of the spicy mixture there.
• We take a baking sleeve (an ordinary plastic bag will do), put the meat there, wrap it tightly and put it in the refrigerator for 1.5, or even better, 2 days.

Features of baking marinated lamb in the oven

• Turn on the oven and set the temperature scale to 160 degrees.
• We take a tall form with sides (glass or ceramics), put the thoroughly marinated leg into it, first taking it out of the bag.
• Pour water into the bottom so that the meat does not burn during stewing.
• Before sending the pan into the oven, cover it on top with a sheet of foil and tuck it in to create a tight seal.
• The roasting time for meat is at least 4 hours, and if the leg is wide in cut, it will take all of 4.5 hours.

When the timer beeps, remove the pan from the oven, remove the foil and remove the leg. Its meat turns out to be so soft that it will not be possible to cut it into even slices, like boiled pork.

But in the Caucasus they don’t really stand on ceremony with this, but serve the treat simply by breaking it into pieces. As a pleasant and tasty addition, make a white vegetable salad, seasoning it with sour cream or low-fat yogurt.

Original homemade recipe for leg of lamb in the oven with dried apricots

This recipe is more suitable for those who do not like a lot of spices and prefer delicate flavors. Lemon juice will give the lamb fillet softness, and dried apricots will enrich it with a slightly audible fruity aroma.

Ingredients

• Leg of lamb (small) – about 1 kg;
• Zira – 1-2 tsp;
• Light dried apricots – 10 dried fruits;
• Dry rosemary – 2 sprigs;
• Basil (dried) – 2 tsp;
• Powdered black pepper – 1/2 tsp;
• Lemon – half a fresh fruit;
• Olive oil – 3-4 tbsp. l.;
• Salt – 1 tsp.

How to cook step by step a leg of lamb in the oven in foil with dried apricots

• Add the prepared spices to the olive oil (you can add them whole or grind them in a coffee grinder), add some salt, and squeeze out lemon juice.
• Mix all the ingredients of the marinade and set it aside for now.
• Cut the dried apricot fruits into halves.
• Armed with a thin sharp knife, we make deep punctures along the bone - from the side of the thigh and shank, as well as in the fleshy part.
• We put dried apricots in them, pushing them as deep as possible.
• Now you need to rub the leg of lamb on all sides with a salted oil-spicy mixture.
• Wrapping it in cling film, we send it to “rest” in the refrigerator.
• When the meat on the bone is thoroughly marinated and softened, place it in an oven preheated to 200 degrees, placing it on a wire rack. Don't forget to place a baking tray underneath where the fat will drain. You can also bake it on a baking sheet, as described in the previous recipe.

Cooking time depends on the thickness of the leg and the features of the oven, but on average it takes 2-2.5 hours. We check the softness of the meat and its degree of baking the old fashioned way - using a fork: if it easily pierces the fillet and no pink ichor flows out of the holes, then the treat is ready.

If the leg suddenly starts to burn, you need to turn down the heat on the burning side or cover that area with foil.

Meat on the table is always appropriate and “makes the difference” during any celebration. A properly marinated and oven-baked leg of lamb is a much tastier alternative to fried chicken wings and thighs.

Washing down the treat with good dry wine made from grapes harvested in the valleys of sunny Georgia or at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains, the conversation will become truly sincere.

How to bake a leg of lamb? Meat is one of the favorite dishes of many people. It is baked, boiled, fried, barbecued, added to soups and other dishes.

The variety of this product is also considerable: pork, veal, lamb, chicken, turkey, beef and others. Some people prefer less fatty types of meat, dietary ones. Others like it to have a layer of fat.

But no matter how it happens, a holiday table can never do without meat. The signature food of the entire holiday can be a whole baked turkey, a young pig, delicious quail, pheasants or any other type of meat.

Lamb has been one of the most delicious types of meat for many years.. And not only residents of eastern countries love to cook and eat it (this is their signature dish), but also residents of our latitudes. After all, lamb has excellent taste characteristics and also benefits the body.

With its help, the body produces the amount of protein it needs (more than in other types of meat). In addition, lamb is less fatty than pork, and accordingly contains less cholesterol, which is so harmful to the human body.

Lamb also contains predominantly more iron than pork. And iron is very beneficial for our body. Therefore, lamb is recommended for those who have low levels of hemoglobin in the blood.

Lamb meat contains vitamins B, D, E and K, salts of fluorine, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, chromium, iodine, zinc, as well as molybdenum, manganese, nickel and cobalt. With such positive characteristics, lamb should be eaten from time to time.

Many people complain that lamb meat has a specific smell, so they don’t want to cook it. For the same reason, it is difficult to buy, since it is impossible to determine how fresh this product is in its raw form. But it's not that complicated.

All you have to do is take a closer look and sniff the purchase. The color of the lamb should be soft red, slightly pinkish. If the meat is dark, then it is from an old animal; it will take a long and painful time to cook, and the result will not be the same. It is best to buy young lamb meat - it is tastier, juicier, healthier and cooks faster.

Feel free to also sniff your purchase. If the smell is very specific, then you shouldn’t even spend your money. The meat should also not be sticky or have many trimmings. This indicates its staleness.

One of the most delicious lamb dishes is baked leg of lamb.. This is what we will learn to cook today.

And if at first glance everything seems simple, no additional manipulations are needed. All you have to do is take a whole leg and bake it! True, the leg requires the necessary processing and good marinating.

To prepare the dish you need to take leg of young lamb and clean it of fat and unnecessary film. Since it is these components that become catalysts for unpleasant odors.

For this purpose, you need to arm yourself with a fairly sharp knife. You should work very carefully so as not to damage the main part of the meat. You need to carefully push the knife under the layer of fat and move it in different directions.

When the fat begins to separate from the meat, pick it up with your hands and carefully, slowly, tear it off from the main part. Do the same with the film. After this procedure you need wash your leg to remove any remaining grease and film, and then dry thoroughly.

How exactly to cook a leg of lamb is up to everyone to choose for themselves. But first it is better to marinate it, stuff it or roll it in a special breading. Let's consider these options.

To marinate leg of lamb, you will need water, vinegar, salt, pepper, onions and whatever you like. The leg should be placed completely in this marinade and allowed to brew for about a day.

Instead of vinegar and water, you can use wine. It's whatever your heart desires. In wine, the meat will become softer and more flavorful. On the contrary, vinegar will make it a little harsh and then you will have to cook the dish longer.

After marinating, the meat must be removed and dried thoroughly. Then rub with mustard and mint powder, red pepper, rosemary and leave in a warm place, preferably under film, for several hours.

Leg of lamb can also be stuffed. To do this, make cuts in a piece of meat and insert various ingredients into it. Here you can use slices of garlic, bell or hot peppers, sticks of carrots, spices, various herbs, pieces of apples, lard, pitted prunes, dried apricots or other dried fruits you like and other products.

No need to skimp on seasonings and rub your leg thoroughly with them. Rosemary, oregano, paprika, juniper, mint, and mustard are good for lamb.

After the leg is stuffed, you need to let it stand for several hours so that the aromas completely permeate the piece of meat.

If you don’t have time for marinating or stuffing, you can rub the leg with a specially prepared sauce and bake it right away. Before baking, the leg should be rubbed with vegetable oil..

When all the processes are followed, you can proceed directly to baking. First you need to fry the meat a little,for it to come crust and all the juices remained inside, and did not flow from it.

Therefore, you need to preheat the oven to 250 degrees and begin the process of cooking the leg of lamb.

You can place it on a wire rack or greased baking sheet. At this temperature, you need to hold the meat for no more than ten minutes, then reduce the temperature to about 170 degrees. And bake in this mode until done.

Cooking time may vary. It all depends on the size of the leg, the age of the lamb itself, as well as on preliminary procedures.

If the meat was marinated, it will bake longer, if it was stuffed, then it will bake a little faster. On average, a leg of lamb needs not much less than an hour and a half.

In order to make sure the dish is ready, you need to pierce it with a sharp object. If light, almost clear juice comes out of the puncture, then the leg is ready.

You can cook the meat uncovered, or you can cover it with food foil about forty minutes after frying. This is done to make sure that the leg is completely baked and there are no raw pieces.

You don’t even have to bake a leg of lamb yourself, and immediately with a side dish– cabbage, potatoes, vegetables, fruits. It is with pickled vegetables and fruits that the taste of the leg will be more refined, it will absorb all the aromas of these products and will be juicier.

Or you can cook the leg and side dish separately and serve it that way. It should be served on a large platter, and it is best to cut it directly in front of the guests at the table.

A baked leg of lamb will not only be the signature dish of your table, but also its decoration and pride.

The preparation of a leg of lamb is very simple; you just need to thoroughly clean the meat and marinate it. Preparation will not take much effort and time, and the result will pleasantly surprise you. The final taste will depend on what marinade and spices you choose for the meat. Try cooking a leg of lamb baked in foil in the oven; this masterpiece is worthy of becoming the main dish on any holiday table! The honey-mustard marinade makes the meat incredibly juicy and soft, imbuing it with exquisite taste. Your guests will be delighted!

Taste Info Meat main courses

Ingredients

• Leg of lamb - 3 kg;
• Mustard - 3 tbsp. l.;
• Honey - 3 tbsp. l.;
• Salt - 2 tbsp. l.;
• Dry ground garlic - 1 tsp;
• Mixture of ground peppers - 1 tsp;
• A handful of dry ground herbs (rosemary, thyme, coriander);
• Garlic - 1 head;
• Carrots - 2-3 pcs.;
• Onion - 2 pcs.;
• Sweet pepper - 2 pcs.

How to cook baked leg of lamb in foil in the oven, marinated in honey mustard marinade

The first step is to prepare the leg of lamb. Using a sharp fillet knife, cut off all the fatty films on the surface of the meat. These shells can impart an unpleasant odor when baked. Then wash the leg of lamb well with warm water and pat dry with a paper towel.


For the marinade, take three tablespoons of honey and Russian mustard, ground garlic, a mixture of peppers and dry aromatic herbs. The latter can be replaced with a ready-made mixture for lamb or meat dishes. Once you've decided on herbs, try adding a pinch each of ground thyme, rosemary and coriander. These spices will give the meat a divine aroma!


Mix all the marinade ingredients in a separate bowl and add salt.


Now you need to marinate the leg of lamb for baking. Place the meat on a clean baking sheet or in a wide container. Using your hands, thoroughly coat the entire surface of the leg of lamb with the prepared marinade. Cover the meat with cling film and place in the refrigerator for one hour.


While the lamb is marinating, start preparing the vegetables. Peel carrots, garlic and onions. Remove the seeds and stem from the sweet pepper. Wash all vegetables and cut into large strips.

Turn on the oven at 200° and leave to heat up. The leg of lamb can be stuffed with garlic and vegetables. To do this, use the tip of a knife to make deep punctures across the entire surface of the meat. Insert slices of garlic and strips of carrots into the resulting cuts.


Place a sheet of foil on a clean baking sheet and make a bed of vegetables on it. If desired, you can add grapes, apple slices, prunes and dried apricots to them. The fruits will release juice, which, once soaked, will make the meat even tastier. Sprinkle vegetables with dry herbs. If you have sprigs of rosemary or thyme, place them on the tray; they go well with the lamb, adding a delicious aroma.


Place the leg of lamb on the vegetables.


Wrap your leg in foil so that there is no gap left. Place in a hot oven to bake for 1.5 hours.


After the specified time has passed, carefully open the foil. A lot of juice has formed around the leg, pour it over the meat. Return the uncovered lamb to the oven and leave for another 20-30 minutes to crisp up.


Serve the foil-wrapped leg of lamb hot or warm, whole, on a large platter. Leave the side dish of baked vegetables and place them on plates, along with pieces of meat. Fresh herbs, pita bread, spicy tomato sauce or adjika go well with lamb. Bon appetit to you and your guests!

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Note to the owner:

• You can also use a roasting sleeve to cook leg of lamb. Cut a piece of the required size and tie on one side. Lay the sleeve on the table, distribute the vegetables along its bottom, and place the leg of lamb on top. Tie the other side, use a toothpick to make a few holes and place in the oven.
• You can bake potatoes in the oven along with lamb. Peel it, cut it into slices and place it around the meat. Don't forget to add salt! You don't have to peel the potatoes, but wash them thoroughly using the hard side of the sponge. Then cut it into large slices, salt and pepper, add a little vegetable oil and chopped garlic, to taste. Mix well and spread around the meat. This is how you get a leg of lamb with potatoes, peasant-style.

• Lamb can be marinated not only in honey-mustard sauce; there are many variations on this theme. I especially want to highlight the lemon marinade. In a saucepan, mix 0.5 liters of water with 1 tbsp. Sahara. Add a lemon, cut into 6-8 pieces, a large onion, grated, 5 bay leaves, 6-8 clove flowers and 1 tbsp. salt. Use spices if desired: rosemary, cumin, thyme, oregano. Place the mixture on the fire, bring to a boil and cook for another 15 minutes. Cool the marinade and pour it over the meat. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
• The longer the meat is marinated, the tastier it is. Lamb is no exception. If possible, try to marinate it for at least 8 hours.
• Previously, we prepared a delicious recipe with rosemary and Provençal herbs.

If you want to truly impress your loved ones and guests, then prepare a leg of lamb baked in the oven. This meat with fragrant garlic and carrots in foil turns out surprisingly tender, juicy, and soft. A unique marinade based on Provençal herbs, coriander, mint and other seasonings allows you to imbue lamb fibers with an exquisite and multifaceted aroma, in which a variety of notes organically overlap. At the same time, just before the end of baking, the foil is unrolled, which allows you to create a very appetizing and piquant crust. The dish turns out delicious! It will be a great option for a family dinner and will perfectly decorate the holiday table!

Cooking time – 6 hours.

Number of servings – 6.

Ingredients

To prepare an excellent meat dish in the oven, you need to use the following products and seasonings:

• leg of lamb – 1 pc.;
• dried mint – 1 tsp;
• carrots – 1 pc.;
• Provençal herbs – 1 tsp;
• garlic – 2 heads;
• olive oil – 4 tbsp. l.;
• spices for meat – 1 tsp;
• salt and ground black pepper - to taste.

Note! Dried tomatoes, cumin, ground coriander, sweet red pepper, rosemary, and thyme can be used as spices for meat. You can mix these ingredients or use whatever you like.

How to bake a leg of lamb in the oven

A tasty, tender and surprisingly juicy leg of lamb baked in the oven is not difficult to prepare. However, be prepared for the fact that this will take you a lot of time, since to obtain truly tender meat, the product must be marinated for a long time and baked for a long time.

1. First, prepare all the ingredients you will need to cook the lamb.

1. Then you need to peel and wash the carrots. The garlic should be peeled. One of the heads, disassembled into separate slices, should be cut into circles. Carrots are cut into medium-sized cubes. The cloves from the second head of garlic should be passed through a special press or chopped finely with a knife and placed in a separate deep bowl. This part will be used to prepare the marinade.

1. Add dried mint and herbs de Provence to the garlic paste. The mixture is diluted with salt.

1. It is recommended to dilute the resulting composition with olive oil, but you will not need to take very much of it. You should also sprinkle the mixture with freshly ground black pepper. The composition will need to be thoroughly stirred, after which the marinade should infuse for at least 10 minutes.

1. Now it’s time to start the most important task - preparing the leg of lamb before baking in the oven. It should be cleared of films. Fat is also trimmed.

1. It is very important to prepare the lamb meat on both sides to avoid excess fat.

1. Place the leg of lamb on a baking sheet that has been previously covered with three layers of food foil.

1. The meat is thoroughly coated on each side with a fragrant marinade.

1. Then deep punctures must be made across the entire surface of the leg of lamb. We will stuff the meat through them. Pour a little marinade into the prepared cuts. Then you need to put a piece of carrot and garlic in them.

On a note! To stuff the meat, simply push the ingredients in with your finger. This is the easiest way.

1. The workpiece is wrapped in food foil. Use 3 layers of material.

1. Now you need to wait at least 3 hours for the meat to marinate.

1. Then the leg of lamb in foil is baked in the oven for 40 minutes. The oven should be preheated to 250 degrees. Then the temperature is reduced to 190 degrees, and the meat must be left in the oven for another 1 hour and 15 minutes.

A leg of lamb prepared according to this recipe, baked in the oven, turns out excellent.

Video recipes

With the help of video recipes it will be easier to bake lamb meat in the oven:

Do you want to drive a real man crazy for many years??? I think this recipe will break even the most resistant hearts.

As my grandmother, of blessed memory, said, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Practice has confirmed this.

I bring to your attention a recipe for meat lovers, or rather sheep lovers. Anyone who loves and appreciates meat dishes will definitely fall in love with this recipe.

Children are very We are picky when choosing dishes, and we will please even the kids by cooking a leg of lamb in the oven.

To cook lamb in the oven we will need:

• lamb, leg of lamb
• rosemary
• garlic
• olive oil
• salt, pepper, cilantro seeds
• red pepper, paprika
• baking bag

How to cook leg of lamb in the oven

The choice of good meat should be entrusted to the husband, because only a man can smell the most delicious piece). Lamb on the market is not cheap, but these costs will cover the emotions that your loved ones will give you after eating lamb.

So, the ram’s legs have been purchased, we remove all the extra veins and membranes. Salt and pepper, gently rubbing all the salt, pepper, love and tenderness, positive energy into the lamb flesh.

Let's start with the sauce: 3 tablespoons olive or sunflower oil, a pinch of cilantro seeds, 3-4 good cloves of garlic, crushed in a garlic press, be sure to add rosemary!

Fresh rosemary is better, but if you don’t have that, then dried is fine, but rosemary is the BIG secret for lamb in the oven.

We coat the leg of lamb with this sauce and conjure love and harmony.

We give time to marinate the lamb, I think 1-3 hours is enough. If you want, you can marinate the lamb in the refrigerator for a day.

Place the marinated leg of lamb in a baking bag and tie it tightly at the sides so that the juice does not leak out under any circumstances. And put the lamb in the oven for 1.5 hours at 130 degrees, so that it warms up.

Living luxuriously is not forbidden, we cooked two legs of lamb at once. The second was intended for the ancestors as a gift, for a treat.

Time flies and smells slowly fill the entire apartment, the aroma is such that it really drives you crazy. Poor neighbors)))

Increase the temperature in the oven to 200 degrees. And we wait another 1-2 hours, we hope and believe. Sometimes we look into the oven, if the meat on the bone begins to come off, then the lamb is ready in the oven.

We immediately took out the first leg because we were drooling. And we will leave the second leg of lamb in the oven, open the package so that it gets crispy.

We sharpen the knife sharply and prepare to eat. Vegetables for garnish. The baked leg of lamb is served!

And for those who like meat with a crust, we will invite you to the table a little later, in 10 minutes.

I will accept all comments! P.S. THANK YOU SO MUCH NICHOLAY! Family friend Kolya introduced us to this recipe, so I bow to him!