Introduction: BBQ Lamb Roulade

There is such a lot of good lamb around but today I’m using a scrap cut, often discarded as dog food.

I grew up on Lamb and it is one of my favourite meats, it’s not to everyone’s taste but I think that’s just because they don’t know how to cook it!

The trick is to cook it, so the fats render and flavour the meat instead of sitting in big lumps on the plate.

Lamb belly, Lamb flaps or Lamb breast is the thin piece of meat that holds the stomach and intestines up and in place. It is tough and fatty but packs a huge flavour punch, it needs a lot of cooking to render the fats and soften the meat fibres, a bit of work but so worth it! And it is cheap as chips and is packed with flavour!

This process takes two days, but that means a lot of the work can be done a day or two before service.

No only does this look stunning but it is a great thing to have on hand in its sausage form for a quick but stunning midweek dinner party dish that will have your guests in awe!

Supplies

Lamb Flaps

Chilli

Garlic

Spring (Green) Onions

Chicken Stock

Plastic Wrap

Foil

Step 1: Seasoning

These are Lamb flaps, sometimes you will get the entire thing and that will be 300mm (1 foot) wide and roughly 600mm (2 foot) long, it doesn’t matter because you want it to be roughly 300mm (1 foot) square, so either cut it down or overlap pieces to get the right size.

Lay the Flaps out and season well with salt and pepper, you can be a bit heavy handed, the cooking process will wash some of the seasoning away

Step 2: Apply the Stuffing

Sprinkle with Mint, Chilli slices and Chopped Garlic

Step 3: Roll Up, Roll Up

Roll the flaps as tight as you can and tie tightly with some butcher’s twine.

Step 4: Prepare for the First Cook

Place the rolled flaps in a BBQ Proof dish, I’m using my Lodge Camp oven. Pour over some chicken stock till the stock comes halfway up the sides of the rolled meat, then season with Salt and Pepper.

Step 5: Poach Cook

Place the pan inside your Smoker or BBQ, I’m using my Big Green Egg and Smoke Braise at roughly 150°C (300°F) until the Lamb is extremely tender, this will take 3-4 hours, maybe more, turn the Lamb a couple of times during the cook so it doesn’t dry out.

Drain and reserve the stock to make a Jus for serving with the final product

Step 6: Wrap the Rolls

Let it cool just enough to handle it, then move quickly in the next phase.

Lay out overlapping sheets of plastic wrap.

Place one of the pieces of rolled Lamb onto the plastic wrap.

Roll the Lamb in the plastic wrap as tightly as you can.

Step 7: Compress the Rolls

Holding the ends of the plastic wrap, like a Bon Bon, roll the “Bon Bon” forwards like it was a toy friction powered car, this will tighten your plastic wrap and start to form a sausage shape.

Lay out a piece of foil. Fold back the ends of the plastic wrap so your roll can’t come undone. Now roll it tightly in the foil, as you go, you will be able to refine the shape into a tight uniform “Sausage”.

Place your finished roll in the fridge to set overnight.

Step 8: Unwrap

Remove the roll from the fridge and carefully unwrap, then remove the butchers twine.

Step 9: Cut Medallions

Cut the roll into medallions about 3cm (1 inch) thick.

Step 10: Grill the Roulades

Fry or grill over a medium heat to caramelise the outer surface and gently bring heat into the Roulades.

Step 11: Serve the Roulades

Arrange the Roulades on a plate or board for service.

Serve with the warmed reduced stock from the day before.

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