American lamb is judged to be by many food experts, the best in the world - a perfect blend of size, flavor, and tenderness. And spring, with its springtime holidays, is often the time when this delicacy is served.

A bone-in leg of lamb weighs 5 to 7 pounds and can be roasted whole. Often, however, the leg is cut into sirloin and shank halves. The sirloin contains more meat and costs more per pound than the shank half. You can also buy the leg boned, rolled, and tied.

Because there is no waste, a boned roast costs more than a bone-in roast. A boned and tied leg weighing 2 1/2 pounds will serve 6 people.

Legs can be refrigerated in their packaging for a couple of days. For longer storage, up to 4 days, remove the wrapper and cover loosely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

For best flavor, lamb (which has a distinctive flavor going for it already), is paired with garlic, oregano, rosemary, mint, thyme, and lemon - these are the most traditional seasonings used. The seasonings can be patted on the leg before roasting or inserted into the flesh.

Lamb has a shank bone that protrudes, and it's usually cracked and folded. For a festive presentation, ask your butcher not to crack it. Instead, have him French, or clean, the extended part of the bone. After roasting, the carver uses the bones as a handle to keep the roast steady while cutting.

Lamb is usually cooked no more than medium-rare. It will need to rest at least 15 minutes after cooking so that it can reabsorb juices and be easier to carve.

Merle Ellis, expert butcher and cookbook author, says, "A thrifty way to use a whole leg of lamb is to have it cut in half. Ask your butcher to remove one steak from the cut end of each half. Freeze half of the roast and the tender leg steaks for other meals. A 1-inch center-cut leg steak feeds 2 or 3 people. Broil 3 to 4 inches from the heat source for about 12 minutes, turning once for medium-done."

If you want to insert garlic and rosemary into your roast, use a sharp knife to make twelve 1/2-inch deep cuts in the meaty part of the leg, then insert 1 paper-thin slice of garlic and a little crumbled rosemary in each cut.

If you prefer slow roasting, place your lamb in a 325°F oven. To roast a whole leg, bone in, cook for 20 minutes per pound for medium-rare; a meat thermometer should read 145°. For a medium roast, cook for 25 minutes per pound; the meat thermometer should read 160°.

A boneless, rolled whole leg (about 4-6 pounds) should be cooked 30 minutes per pound and the thermometer should read 150° for medium-rare. This cut of meat, to be medium, should be cooked for 32-34 minutes per pound and the thermometer should read 160°.

And finally, here are the steps to carving a leg of lamb:

1. Set the roast meaty side up and secure with a carving fork. Cut a wedge-shaped piece from the center of the leg.

2. Holding knife horizontally, carve slices from either side of the wedge. Then turn the leg over and make horizontal slices.

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Sources:
www.blogs.babble.com
www.jemangelaville.com
www.foodlustpeoplelove.com
www.themeathouseblog.com
www.mainefoodandlifestyle.com