These vintage Lamb Roast recipes are from a booklet published by the American Lamb Council in Denver, Colorado.  The booklet includes Carving Instructions, along with recipes for a Roast Leg of Lamb, Square Shoulder Lamb Roast, Rolled Lamb Shoulder Roast, and a Rack of Lamb.  No publication date is printed in the booklet, but judging from the graphics and pictures and estimated publication date would be anywhere from the mid-1950s to the early 1960s.

Lamb Roast Carving Instructions

Roast Leg of Lamb

1. Place platter so that the leg bone is to the carver’s right. Insert the fork firmly into the large end of the leg and cut two or three lengthwise slices from the side nearest the carver. 

2. Turn the leg so that it rests firmly on the surface, just cut. Holding the roast firmly with the fork inserted into the left end, and beginning a the shank end to the right, make the first slice down to the leg bone and continue to make thin slices parallel to the first until aitch bone at the large end is reached. 

3. With the fork still in place, the knife is run parallel to the leg bone to free the slices all at one time. The slices should be about one-fourth to three-eights of an inch thick.

Rack of Lamb Roast

The carver inserts a fork into the left end of the rack. With a sharp knife held in the right hand, he cuts down between the ribs with clean strokes, serving either one or two chop portions per person. If left-handed, insert a fork in the right end, carve with the left. If the rack is from a small animal, it will be easier to carve if placed flat on the platter, fat side up as the small racks may not stand on end well. 

Roast Square Shoulder

Because of flat bones, carve in chunks instead of slices. 

 

Roast Leg of Lamb
with orange-mint glaze

Ingredients

1 5-6 pound leg of lamb
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup chopped mint

Method

Place lamb on a rack in a roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Bake in a slow oven (300-degrees) 2 1/2 hours. Pour orange juice over lamb. Top with mint. Bake 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until a meat thermometer registers 170-degrees to 180-degrees (depending upon the desired degree of doneness). Baste lamb frequently during the baking period. Garnish with additional mint as desired. Serve on a hot platter with pear halves and strawberries (or cranberry sauce). See carving instructions above. 

 

Square Shoulder Lamb Roast
with pineapple glaze

Ingredients

1 4-5 pound square-cut shoulder of lamb
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoons pepper
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 pound 4 ounces can crush pineapple

Method

Place the lamb on a rack in a roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt-pepper. Bake in a slow oven (300-degrees) 2 1/2 hours. Combine curry powder and pineapple and add to lamb. Cook for 15 minutes, turning occasionally. Garnish with pineapple and cherries. See carving instructions above. 

 

Rolled Lamb Shoulder Roast
with Currant Glaze

 

Ingredients

1 4-5 pound boned shoulder of lamb, rolled and tied
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup currant jelly
1/4 cup water
8 medium-sized carrots, cut in halves
16 small white onions

Method

Place lamb on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake in a slow oven (300-degrees) 1 hour. Combine flour, salt, pepper, jelly, and water; blend. Spread on the lamb. Arrange vegetables on the rack with lamb. Bake in slow oven (300-degrees) 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until meat thermometer registers 170-degrees to 180-degrees (depending upon the desired degree of doneness). Bast vegetables occasionally during the baking period. Garnish with pineapple and maraschino cherries. See carving instructions above. 

 

Rack of Lamb
with Orange Marmalade Glaze

Ingredients

1 3-pound French rack of lamb
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon rosemary
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

Method

Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Place on a rack in a roasting pan. Bake in a slow oven (300-degrees) 1 1/2 hours. Combine remaining ingredients; blend. Spread over the lamb. Bake 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until meat thermometer registers 170-degrees-180-degrees (depending upon the desired degree of doneness). Serve on a hot platter with clove spiced apricots. See carving instructions above. 

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