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Lechazo asado
Roast milk-fed lamb
Lechazo asado: Castilian milk-fed lamb roasted with water and salt
Along the Duero valley, in towns like Aranda de Duero, Sepúlveda and Peñafiel, wood-fired asadores roast quarters of lechazo, lamb fed only on its mother's milk, in clay dishes with nothing but water and salt. Families drive out for it on a Sunday and eat it with bread and a salad of lettuce and onion. A little lard is rubbed on in some asadores; this contains pork (lard), or use olive oil. Milk-fed lamb is small and pale; spring lamb works but needs longer. Chef's tip: don't add herbs or garlic; the delicate flavour is the point.
- Total time
- 130 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 lb milk-fed or young lamb quartershoulder or leg, bone in
- 2 tsp coarse salt
- 1 oz lardsoft, or 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup water
To serve
- 1 lettuce (optional)with sliced onion, oil and vinegar
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F. Rub 4 lb milk-fed or young lamb quarter all over with 1 oz lard and 2 tsp coarse salt and place it skin-side down in a clay or ceramic roasting dish.
Step 2: Pour 1 cup water around it and roast for 1 hour, basting with the pan juices every 20 minutes.
60 minStep 3: Turn the lamb skin-side up, add a splash more water if the dish is dry, and roast for 50–60 minutes more, basting twice, until the skin is golden and crackly and the meat pulls easily from the bone. The thickest part should read at least 145°F; milk-fed lamb is traditionally cooked until well done and soft.
55 minStep 4: A common mistake is letting the juices dry out and burn: they become the sauce, so keep a little liquid in the dish throughout.
Step 5: Rest for 10 minutes, then cut into pieces through the joints and serve with spoonfuls of the pan juices and the salad if using.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 610 kcal
- Protein
- 48 g
- Carbs
- 0 g
- Fat
- 46 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does lechazo asado take?
- About 130 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 120 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
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