Easy Entertaining with American Lamb
Nothing says special celebration like elegant, delicious American Lamb. Whether it's a holiday feast or an intimate family dinner, American Lamb is elegant yet easy to prepare. From the traditional leg roast to the quintessential rack, there's a lamb dish for every holiday occasion. American Lamb's unique, rich flavor can make any meal seem special and will make your family and friends feel especially appreciated.
Rack of Lamb- a Show Stopping Favorite
An impressive presentation that is surprisingly easy to prepare at home, a rack offers versatility for holiday entertaining. The rack of lamb is an icon of fine dining menus across the country. Serving a rack of lamb during the holidays makes it easy to have an effortless, restaurant quality meal at home.
Rack Lingo
Lollipops- the rack is cut into individual chops and trimmed of all fat for an appetizer that is simple to make, impressive to present, and easy to eat right off the bones.
Frenched- A few inches of meat removed from the end of the bones, creating an attractive presentation.
Tips
For a holiday party, cook two rack roasts at a time; they will fit side by side in most roasting pans and two rack roasts will feed 8 people. Serve the two racks interlaced with fresh herbs twisted around the bones for a show stopping presentation.
American Lamb Roasts for Holiday Entertaining
Perfect for relaxed entertaining, American Lamb roasts make a great holiday meal for sharing with family and friends. Nothing could be easier than roasting lamb. While lamb roasts need to cook slow and low, they take very little preparation time, allowing you to spend time with your guests while the lamb cooks to perfection!
Leg of lamb is a popular and traditional roast and is readily available at most grocery stores during the holidays. Shoulder roast and boneless loin roasts are also great options but may need to be special ordered by your grocery store or butcher.
Tip
Let the lamb roast rest for 10 to 15 minutes until the internal temperature reaches the ideal temperature. A cooling period will allow the meat's juices to settle and make carving easier.
Serve lamb roasts family style with carved, sliced meat arranged on a large serving platter with fresh herbs and roasted vegetables.
Holiday Recipes
American lamb Lollipops with Minted Tomato Sauce
Pecan Crusted Rack of Lamb with Rosemary Balsamic Sauce
Roasted Leg of American Lamb with Feta Vinaigrette
Wine Pairings
According to wine expert Karen MacNeil, author of the best selling book, the Wine Bible, both red and white wine are a terrific match for American Lamb. Here are her top red and white wine pairings.
Pinot Noir – Earthy, supple and silky, Pinot Noir has beautiful dried cherry aromas and flavors. Serve with an elegant dish such as crown roast of Ameircan Lamb with a cherry wine sauce.
Zinfandel – Zinfandel’s bold fruitiness is reminiscent of homemade jam, and it’s got a thick texture to match. All the fruit acts as a pillow to cushion the spiciness of dishes such as cumin-spices lamb shanks.
Syrah – Syrah has deep, dark flavors and an almost brooding intensity. Syrah is unbeatable with a wide variety of American Lamb dishes from classics like grilled shoulder chops to avant garde dishes such as fennel crusted rack of lamb with roasted pepper and sultana raisin marmalade.
Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are powerful reds with a good dose of tannin that gives the wines structure and grip. Bordeaux reds, a blend of Merlot and Cabernet, are traditional with simple roasted or grill leg of lamb seasoned with rosemary. There is no better match than a top-notch California Merlot or Cabernet with lamb T – bones (loin chops).
Sauvignon Blanc – A snappy, bold and fresh Sauvignon Blanc often has gren herbal flavors and a light to medium body. Great with salads, dishes that have lots of green herbs, and tangy cheese such as goat cheese. Salads with lamb or dishes such as American Lamb and Goat Cheese Pizza with Rosemary and Sun Dried Tomatoes are ideal.
Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio – Light bodies with clean, light, citrusy flavors, Pinot Gris (sometimes known as Pinot Grigio) is a good choice with light dishes. Roast lamb sandwich with a lemon yogurt dressing would be a terrific partner as would a light pasta dish made with American Lamb, fresh vegetables and extra virgin olive oil.
Chardonnay – Chardonnay is medium to full bodies with rich vanilla, custard, butterscotch and oak flavors. Characterized as a big white it can go with a hearty dish such as lamb shoulder roast with roasted root vegetables.