A few months back, when the warm breeze of summer started filling our days, we listed some of the best recipes to kick-off the BBQ season. Now that the cold winds are starting to blow and the season of gift-giving is just right around the corner, we will be listing three easy lamb recipes you can try for the holidays.
Italian-Style Slow Cooker Meatloaf
If you are a fan of Italian cuisine, this meatloaf recipe that combines beef and lamb will be right up your alley. Following Better Homes and Gardens’ recipe, the ingredients you would need for this dish are Italian-style stewed tomatoes, whole wheat bread crumbs, onion, zucchini, red sweet peppers, parsley, garlic, ground black pepper, feta cheese, 95% lean ground beef and 80% lean ground lamb. Once you’ve gathered all the ingredients, you just have to combine them all in a large bowl, place the mixture in a slow cooker, pat it into a loaf and leave it there for 3 1/2 hours on the low-heat setting, or for 1 1/2 hours on the high-heat setting.
What’s really great about this dish is that you can also cook it using one of the most reliable kitchen gadgets: the rice cooker. Some of the best rice cookers of 2020 can double as other appliances such as an electric pressure cooker, sterilizer, electric slow cooker, steamer and food warmer. In addition to this, some brands also have a 24-hour delay for longer cooking, automatic “keep warm” for up to 10 hours and advanced technologies that reduce cooking time by up to 70%.
Skillet Lamb Chops
Gifts are not the only things that make the holiday season exciting and fun. More than anything else, it is actually the much-awaited opportunity for people bound by blood and by a special bond to come together and bask in the company of each other. Gatherings like these are never complete without family-style suppers, and we’ve got just the right one for you. Skillet Lamb Chops are not only economical, they are also so easy to prepare. You just have to brown your seasoned chops in a heavy skillet with melted butter, oil and garlic. Then, dissolve a bouillon cube in water, simmer the mixture with the chops then add some cornstarch to thicken the sauce a bit.
The key to making this dish exceptional not only banks on getting the best local lamb shoulder chop but also on having the best tool for cooking. If you want to take this dish up a notch, consider using a cast-iron skillet instead of a regular one. Most of the cast iron skillets in 2020 are available at a reasonable price, are incredibly durable and can easily rival non-stick pans with a little tender love and care.
Braised Lamb Shanks
Braising lamb shanks can be quite intimidating at times, but that doesn’t always have to be the case — especially if you are guided by a good recipe. According to Delish’s easy-to-follow recipe, to make this dish, you’d need to sear your seasoned lamb shank in a large Dutch oven until golden brown and set it aside. Then, in the same Dutch oven, combine butter, onion, carrots, garlic, tomato paste and low-sodium beef broth. Once everything is thoroughly mixed, you can add the lamb back in, place the lid, pop the cookware in a preheated oven and leave it there for two hours.
The best way you can ensure that braised dishes such as these are thoroughly cooked is by investing in reliable cookware. Although most Dutch ovens this year cook similarly well, some brands are far easier to handle even with mitts or towels because of their design. Clever design can also keep food from getting trapped in the corners, allow steam to escape more easily and concentrate flavors better by giving better sear on meat.
Specially written for SUNGOLDMEATS.com
By: Rubicela Jayelle
