Buck's Slow-Roasted Lamb Raan
Raan is a leg of lamb, and a generous roast leg makes an amazing centerpiece for a table of hungry cooks!
This recipe is written around yoghurt, onion and a modest ground-spice mixture. We want meat that is easy to serve with a spoon and knife, a little flavorful roasting liquid, and enough remaining fragrance to notice the spices without losing the lamb underneath them.
For six people
- One bone-in leg of lamb, about 4–4.4 pounds
- 6.3 ounces plain yoghurt
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed, and 0.9 ounce fresh ginger, grated
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander and 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika and 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves, lightly crumbled
- 1 teaspoon fine salt, plus more after tasting
- 2 onions, thickly sliced; 1 1/4 cups water
- Lemon wedges and fresh cilantro to serve
The roast
Mix the yoghurt, oil, garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, paprika, garam masala, fenugreek leaves and measured salt. Make a few shallow cuts in the lamb's thick surface and rub on the mixture. Set it in a covered container in the refrigerator for 6–12 hours. This is a home marinade made from its own chosen ingredients, not a restaurant blend.
Heat the oven to 320°F. Spread the onions in a roasting pan that holds the lamb comfortably, add the water and set the lamb on top. Cover the pan tightly with foil or a lid. Roast until the meat is fully cooked and becoming fork-tender, beginning to check after about 3 hours. The leg's shape and your pan matter; allow longer if it is still firm. Add a little hot water if the onions threaten to dry out.
Remove the cover, raise the oven to 410°F, and let the surface color without scorching the spice coating. Check it frequently. A thermometer in the thickest meat, clear of the bone, must show at least 145°F, followed by a minimum 3-minute rest; a fork-tender slow roast will commonly be cooked beyond that minimum. Rest the roast loosely covered for about 20 minutes before carving or pulling larger pieces away.
Taste the onion-rich liquid and season it if needed. Spoon it around the meat rather than drenching the surface. Offer lemon and fresh cilantro at the table, with rice or flatbread and a crisp salad.
The spice notes
Coriander is fragrant without being fiercely hot, while cumin gives a more earthy note. The paprika here is sweet and unsmoked. Fenugreek leaves provide a savory aroma.
Adjust with the next feast in mind
If the sauce tastes too concentrated, dilute it with hot water or a little cream. If the surface browns too quickly, lower the final oven heat and protect the darkest area with foil. If the lamb remains tough, it needs more covered cooking.