Prep Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 3 hours | Serves: 6 to 8
Description:
Ask for a tunnel-boned leg of lamb of at least 5 pounds (2.5 kg). This is a specification SunGold commonly makes as it makes an ideal carving roast and can be stuffed with a variety of pairings.
Always fabulously tender, Sungold Alberta lamb is a flavourful and memorable alternative to the seasonal turkey and beef roasts. Add favourite holiday vegetables such as Brussels Sprouts and little potatoes to roast along side during the last 30 minutes of cooking time.
Ingredients List:
- 5 lb (2.5 kg) SUNGOLD short cut, tunnel boned lamb leg
- lb. (350kg) mildly seasoned lamb or turkey sausage
- 2 stalks, celery, finely sliced
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 crisp apple, cored and chopped
- 2/3 cup (100g) toasted filberts (hazelnuts)
- 1 cup (250 mL) moist fresh bread crumbs
- 1 tsp (5 mL) ground sage
- 1 tsp (5 mL) crushed dried rosemary leaves
- 1 tsp (5 mL) dried thyme leaves
- cup (125 mL) chopped fresh parsley or 1 Tbsp (15 mL) dried
- 1 cup (250 mL) frozen cranberries
- Butchers twine or white utility string
Preparation & Directions:
- Pat any excess moisture from the lamb leg and trim interior of the boned tunnel of any large pieces so there is a smooth round opening. Set aside.
- Remove casing from sausage.
- In a large skillet, over medium heat, brown meat, breaking up large pieces.
- Add celery, onion and apple and cook until meat is cooked no longer pink.
- Meanwhile, in a 300F (150C) oven toast filberts for 5 minutes, watch carefully to avoid burning.
- Cool and rub filberts between 2 paper towels, or in a tea towel to remove skins.
- Pre heat oven to 375F (190C).
- In a food processor whir filberts to chop finely. Add bread crumbs, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
- Whir to combine. Remove to a large mixing bowl.
- Stir in sausage mixture, fresh parsley and cranberries.
- Place roast on a plate so one open end is on the plate.
- Firmly press stuffing mixture into the cavity, the stuffing will be very dense.
- Tie with string once around the whole leg, and twice across the stuffing mixture. Place any remaining stuffing in an ovenproof dish.
- Place roast on a rack, with the stuffing exposed on both sides. Extra stuffing can be baked during the last half of the roasting time.
- Roast for 20 minutes per pound, (35 minutes per kilogram), an inserted thermometer should read 140F (60C).
- Remove roast to a carving platter, cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Remove stuffing, keep warm.
- Carve lamb across the grain.
