Topic: How easy to butcher raw leg of lamb?

[natterjak]

Bit of a beginner question this, but I've never tried it before and so hope to receive some kind of reassurance before buying an expensive cut of meat... Question is, how easy (or otherwise) is it to butcher a raw leg of lamb to obtain useable lamb chunks of the right kind of size for currying?  I'd hope to produce about 4kg of raw lean lamb to pre cook for curries, so guess I would need up to three lamb legs.

The source of the question is that I've noticed Asda have whole leg of lamb at

[fried]

Not sure, but my butchers' uses a band-saw type thing to cut through the bone. Not sure how easy this would be unless you have a decent selection of knives and a meat cleaver.

Could always use a black and decker I suppose.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Not sure, but my butchers' uses a band-saw type thing to cut through the bone. Not sure how easy this would be unless you have a decent selection of knives and a meat cleaver.  Could always use a black and decker I suppose.

I don't think you'd need to cut through the bone in order to get the meat into curry-sizes pieces, and if you did, a cleaver wouldn't help you (but a good hacksaw with a coarse blade would).  Sharp knives, yes.  And if you are risk-averse, chain-mail gloves and apron.

** Phil.

[Aussie Mick]

Hi NJ

I thought the same as you when I saw lamb cheap at our local shop.

I bought one lamb leg and set about cutting off as much meat as possible for pre-cooking and freezing, and I must say, i might a pretty rubbish job of it...........but, I did harness enough meat for 2-3 curries.

Next time I tried, I got better, and better etc, so it IS worth doing. Just as a tip, when you pre-cook lamb meat, it will shrink, so cut larger chunks than you would do for chicken....and it doesn't matter too much if you get bits of fat on the meat as once pre-cooked, you will hardly notice.

GOOD LUCK!

[Graeme]

natterjak,

I used a couple of sharp knives and did this with a tescos special.
It did not work out so special as I wasted about 1/3 of the leg of lamb,
bone and fat etc

I would not do this again as my local Indian store does this in front of me
for just over 8 quid per kg.

I would say watch out for the hidden unwanted costs and the time it takes

Hope this helps.

[chewytikka]

Hi NJ
Here's a random video clip I shot in a Restaurant, might be of interest to you.

http://youtu.be/-szhYTGlXt8

cheers Chewy

[curryhell]

Chris, i've done it a couple of time and it's fairly easy once you get the hang of it.  You need a sharp thin bladed knife.  Insert it into the flesh at the base of the leg and cut to the bone.  Continue to elongate the cut upwards cutting to bone until you have reached the top of the leg.  Then simply part the flesh either side of the cut and score cut right up the leg, paring the meat from the bone.  Continue doing this until you have gone completely round the leg bone and you end up with one lump of lamb and the bone is out.  Then cut into large chunks.  Remember lamb reduces by 50% approx when cooked so your pieces will  need to be twice the size you actually want them in the finished dish.  Hope this helps.  It's a lot easier doing it than it is describing how it should be done 
At

[976bar]

Hi NJ
Here's a random video clip I shot in a Restaurant, might be of interest to you.

http://youtu.be/-szhYTGlXt8

cheers Chewy

Green handled knife being used on raw meat!! Naughty Naughty Chef!! Hope he didn't cut the onions with that knife afterwards

[natterjak]

Thanks guys. Sounds like it's possible but maybe a good idea for me to check to see what my local butcher will charge first.

[beachbum]

I don't know if it's a common cut in the UK but in Australia, butterflied leg of lamb often comes up on special around the place, pure meat for about the same price per kilo you'd normally pay for better lamb chops.

Our ALDI stores get them in a few times a year, vacuum packed, and I always stash a few away in the freezer. Local butcher isn't too bad on price, I've had them bone out a leg and it looked so easy, but they have the knives and the knowledge  she (lady butcher) ran the bones past the band saw as well and I cooked them in with the precooking.