Mutton leg

A leg of mutton is a substantial piece of meat taken from the leg of the sheep or goat. The leg of the mutton comes from the hind quarter of the lamb. The leg may be a whole leg with sirloin attached, partly boned or a center cut roast. The classic leg of mutton is the most versatile cut as it can be rolled and tied, butterflied, boned, cubed (for kebabs) or prepared whole. The leg, with little surrounding fat and minimal fat inside, can easily be trimmed to your specification. The meat is tender yet firm and is suitable for a variety of cookery. It is economical cut for entertaining and great for leftover. Leg of mutton is a lean, tender cut, so it is best when cooked rare to medium-rare, although there are folks who appreciate it cooked a bit further, particularly the shank end. In any event, one of the great things about this cut is that, because of its irregular shape, different portions will cook to different levels of doneness, so in the end, there will be some part of it that will please everyone. Leg of mutton is sold both on the bone and boneless; the latter is more convenient because it makes for easier carving. You may also find leg of mutton sold cut into thin steaks, which are excellent broiled, grilled or sautÃed.