Braised Leg of Lamb

I was watching an old episode of Food Network's Barefoot Contessa and came across her recipe for four hour lamb. Lamb is my all-time favorite meat, and this recipe looked so delicious with fall-off-the-bone-tender leg of lamb simply braised in white wine and herbs. It's a huge cut of meat to make in my two-person* household, but I decided to splurge and then re-create different dishes with the leftover meat for the rest of the week. Braising it warmed the whole house and made it smell delicious. Make sure to take advantage of both the meat and the leftover sauce when planning your leftovers.


Braised Leg of Lamb:

• Very liberally season a 6 1/2 lb. bone-in leg of lamb with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a large dutch oven.**
• Add the lamb and sear for 5-6 minutes on both sides, or until a dark brown crust forms.
• Remove the lamb and place on a plate.
• Add 1 bottle of dry white wine and 2 c. of water to the pot, scraping all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Add in the cloves (skins still on) from 2 heads of garlic, 1 handful of fresh rosemary, and 1 handful of fresh thyme.
• Put the lamb back in the pot, then cover the dutch oven with a lid and place in a 300°F oven.
• Cook the lamb for 4 hours, basting every hour and flipping the meat over halfway through.
• Remove the meat from the pot and place on a plate. Cover with foil and rest for 10-15 minutes.
• Strain the braising liquid into a pot and discard the solids. Skim the fat off the top of the liquid.
• Boil the braising liquid for 10-15 minutes.
• To serve, pull the meat apart with two large spoons and divide onto plates. Spoon sauce on top.

Serves eight - ten
*Four if you include the kitties.
**Measure your pot before buying the lamb. If the leg is too long, have the butcher separate the shank and tie them together.