Why Lamb for Easter?
The tradition of the Easter lamb is steeped in rich symbolism and history. Originating from the Jewish Passover, where a lamb was sacrificed and its blood marked the doors of the faithful, it was adopted into Christian traditions as a representation of Jesus Christ, referred to as the “Lamb of God“. This symbol of innocence, purity, and sacrifice is deeply intertwined with Easter celebrations, marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Over time, this religious symbolism has translated into culinary traditions, with the lamb becoming a centerpiece of Easter feasts worldwide.
Choosing the Perfect Lamb for Easter
The choice of lamb for your Easter feast can and most probably will greatly influence the flavor and texture of your end product. Suckling lambs, typically less than two months old, are known for their tender, delicate flavor, making them a popular choice for many. These lambs have been exclusively milk-fed, giving their meat a mild, subtle taste. On the other hand, older lambs, often referred to as “spring lambs”, are between three and five months old. They offer a more robust flavour and firmer texture, having grazed on grass. The choice between suckling and spring lamb depends on personal preference and the specific dishes you plan to prepare. If you’re planning on braising your lamb in a heavy stock or red wine, then it makes sense to use a “regular“ spring lamb since you don’t want that lamb taste to completely disappear. If you’re leaning more towards a roast it could be wort trying to find a suckling lamb as this will have a milder taste and be more tender. If you can’t find a suckling lamb you shouldn’t worry too much, roasting a regular spring lamb is perfectly fine and will taste delicious.
The Best Cuts for Your Easter Feast
When it comes to choosing the right cut of lamb, both the Leg of Lamb and the Lamb Shoulder stand out as excellent choices for an Easter feast. The leg of lamb, being a lean cut, is perfect for roasting. It’s traditionally studded with garlic and rosemary and roasted to a perfect medium/medium-rare, resulting in a dish that’s both flavourful and impressive to serve. Who doesn’t love meat carving? It adds such a nice ceremonial touch to the dining experience, perfect for holiday gatherings. Moving on to the lamb shoulder, this is a much more marbled cut, which means it’s full of flavour. It requires slow cooking to break down the connective tissue and to render out the fat, but the result is a tender, melt-in-your-mouth dish that’s rich in flavor. Both cuts offer unique qualities, making them suited to different cooking methods and recipes. You could also opt for the finer cuts like a rack of lamb or a lamb fillet but at TimeSavour, we stick to the larger bones for our Easter dinner.
Flavour Pairings for the Perfect Easter Lamb
Since Lamb has such a powerful and distinctive taste it pairs really well with a wide range of flavours. Traditional herbs like rosemary and thyme are often used to enhance the natural flavours of the lamb. Garlic is another common pairing, adding a depth of flavour to the meat. For a touch of sweetness, consider adding some honey or red wine to your marinade. Mint is another classic pairing with lamb, often used in the form of a sauce or jelly. For a Mediterranean twist, consider pairing your lamb with flavors like oregano, lemon, and olive oil. If you want to be a bit adventurous you could go the Middle Eastern/North African route with spices like cumin, coriander and cinnamon. There are of course many other spices and flavour combinations you could go with here. It also depends on your guests, if they all love lamb, going more traditional could be the better choice since that really showcases the lamb taste. If you on the other hand have guests that are a bit hesitant to lamb, using more spices could be a good way of making the lamb less “in your face”. You can’t really go wrong here, we would argue that it’s much more important to cook it right than to worry about the flavouring.
Remember, the best Easter lamb is one prepared with love and shared with family and friends. Whether you choose a leg of lamb or a lamb shoulder, suckling or spring lamb, the key to a memorable Easter feast lies in the quality of the ingredients and the care taken in preparation.
Recipe’s For a Perfect Easter Feast
Jamie Oliver – Traditional Roasted leg of lamb
In this video we get a “megamix” of different sessions where Jamie Oliver is cooking a leg of lamb, perfect for Easter. This is especially good if it’s your first time and you really want to learn how to master it.
ChefSteps – Sous vide leg of lamb
Do you prefer to cook your meat sous vide? No worries, here’s ChefSteps with a great recipe of a sous vide leg of lamb. The result looks amazing, cooking it sous vide gives you the perfect doneness and juicy meat.
Andy Cooks – Melt in your mouth lamb shoulder
Do you like your lamb more fall apart? Perfect, Andy Cooks will show you how to make a really nice braised lamb shoulder.
Sip And Feast – Greek Style Leg of Lamb
Here’s Sip and Feast recipe of a greek style roasted leg of lamb, it’s similar to the one Jamie Oliver made in the first video but with a slightly different cooking method.
Gordon Ramsay – Lamb shanks & Saddle of lamb
Good old Gordon Ramsay makes two different lamb dishes in this video. Slow cooked lamb shanks with a spicy kick and a saddle of lamb stuffed with spinach and pine nuts. This sounds so delicious and is perfect if you want a more unique lamb dish for your Easter feast.
BONUS Video:
Max the meat guy – Cooking a whole lamb
This might not be what most of you will cook for Easter, but we just couldn’t leave it out. Cooking lamb like this, Argentinian Asado style, is probably the best way to cook lamb. Stick around till the end of the video, you’ll see what we’re talking about. It’s the most juicy, fatty, tender and smokey meat, a true carnivore’s dream. To cook this, you both need the space and be able to get hold of a whole lamb, maybe not the easiest thing. But it’s definitely worth trying if you get the chance, this is going back to the roots for real, it can’t be more traditional than this.
