Lamb Roasts

Lamb provides three roasts: the leg, which is the least expensive but not really cheap; the rack; and the saddle. The saddle is just lower down on the back—it is the small of the back— than the rack. Because people are unfamiliar with the saddle and its meat is nearly identical to the meat on the rack, it is often a good value.

A good standby roast, a bone-in leg of lamb commonly weighs about 8 pounds. Usually, it is sold with a section of the lower vertebrae and pelvic bone attached, which can make it awkward to carve. If you have a nice butcher, ask him or her to remove this section and tie up the roast. You can also do it yourself, following the contours of the bone until you reveal the round ball joint. Cut into the joint and separate the bone. Season the inside of the meat, fold over the meat at the end of the roast, and tie it up with string.