Lamb has been around since ancient times, making it one of the oldest forms of meat.
It’s an affordable choice for those looking to eat higher quality meats.
Lamb is leaner than most other animals but still contains plenty of nutrients and healthful fats.
The best way to prepare lamb breast is using this delicious lamb breast recipe that will have your guests begging for seconds!
What Is The Best Lamb Breast Recipe?
This delicious lamb breast dish is made with fresh herbs, garlic, lemon juice, onion, olive oil, and white wine.
The flavor combination makes for an incredibly flavorful and tasty lamb breast recipe that you can serve as part of a larger dinner party or at a special occasion like Valentine’s Day.
It’s also easy enough to make that you can whip up a batch before heading out on date night without any hassle whatsoever.
You don’t even need to spend time going through grocery store aisles and picking out supplies because everything you need is right here in your fridge.
If you want to get fancy, you could add some rosemary and thyme leaves into the mix, which would give the finished product more depth of flavor.
But if you’re not feeling adventurous, just leave them out altogether.
With all of these ingredients combined, you won’t find yourself running anywhere near the butcher shop again after trying this lamb breast recipe.
If you’ve never tried cooking lamb before, then this might be a good place to start!
What Are The Ingredients For A Lamb Breast Recipe?
There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to cooking lamb so feel free to experiment with different flavors and spices if you want.
Here are some basic guidelines to help you get started preparing this tasty dish:
- Use bone-in or boneless pieces of lamb breast
- Try adding fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, parsley, etc.
- If you can find them, add garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika
- Add crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper as desired
- Cooking time depends on how thick the lamb breast is cut – thinner cuts need less time while thicker cuts take longer to cook through
How Do You Cook Lamb Breast?
To start with, choose from several different cuts of lamb breasts.
You can use either rib or loin chops, depending on what you prefer.
The main thing to keep in mind is to make sure they aren’t too thick as you want them to be very thin when finished so they cook evenly throughout the whole piece.
You also need to make sure the lamb breast isn’t frozen as freezing makes it tougher to cut through.
To thaw the meat, place it in the fridge overnight before cutting into small pieces.
Step 1 – Make the marinade
- Place all of the ingredients together in a blender or food processor.
- Blend/process everything together until smooth.
- Pour the mixture over both sides of the lamb breast.
Step 2 – Cook the lamb breast
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 Celsius).
- Cook the lamb breast for 20 minutes per pound (454 grams) of lamb breast.
- Remove the lamb breast from heat and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve immediately.
What Is The Cooking Time For Lamb Breast?
This dish can be prepared with either boneless or bone-in lamb breasts.
If you choose to use bones, they should be cut into pieces so that all sides are equally exposed to the sauce.
Cooking times vary based on how thick your lamb breast slices are.
The thicker the slice, the longer it takes to cook through. A 2-inch (5 cm) thick piece of meat needs about 18 minutes per side, while a 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick slice may need 25 minutes.
If you want to make sure your meat reaches doneness at its optimal stage, check out our guide to different types of meat thermometers.
Step by step instructions to cook lamb breast
- Season both sides of each piece of lamb with salt and pepper.
- Place half of the butter onto a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the seasoned lamb breasts to the pan, leaving space between them as necessary.
- Cook the lamb breasts without moving them until the fat from the bottom starts to render and turn golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Turn down the heat to low, add the remaining butter, and stir until melted.
- Remove the lamb breasts from the pan and pour in the red wine.
- Return the lamb breasts to the pan and cover with foil. Cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once halfway through the cooking process.
- Take off the foil and increase the heat to high. Add the thyme sprigs and continue to cook uncovered for another 3 to 4 minutes before serving.
What Is The Nutritional Value Of Lamb Breast?
Here are some key facts about lamb breast from Livestrong:
- It’s high in protein (29% DV) and low in fat (3%).
- High in zinc and selenium (24% and 16%, respectively).
- Low in saturated fat and cholesterol (0.6 g/serving).
- It’s rich in vitamins A, B12, C, D, E, K, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, thiamine, folate and biotin.
- Has less sodium than beef or pork.
How Does Lamb Breast Taste?
Lamb breast can be served as part of a main dish or appetizer, depending on how you plan to use it.
The flavor profile of this particular cut of lamb is slightly sweet with hints of spice from its marinade.
The texture is somewhere between chicken skin and beef brisket.
If you are new to lamb breast cooking, we recommend starting with smaller pieces so you get used to working with different cuts of meat.
If you’re unfamiliar with lamb breast, here’s what you need to know about the different types of lambs available for purchase at the grocery store.
- Leg/shank (the portion closest to the shanks) – A leg can range anywhere from $5-$10 per pound, depending on size and where you live. Shanks are sold separately and typically cost much less than legs.
- Breast – Breast meat comes from the front shoulder blade area and is usually quite expensive. You should expect to pay upwards of $20 per pound, especially if you want to serve this dish as part of a larger meal.
- Shoulder – This section includes both sides of the animal. Depending on the breed, a whole shoulder can run upwards of $30-40 per lb.
- Loin – Loins come from the back end of the rib cage and are generally more expensive than breasts and shoulders. Expect to pay around $15-$25 per lb.
For more information on preparing different parts of lamb, check out our guide to lamb recipes.
And don’t forget to try these great lamb chops recipes.
Is Lamb Breast Healthy?
Like all types of meat, there are different ways to cook lamb depending on what you prefer.
When buying lamb, look for cuts from younger animals that haven’t undergone much processing or aging as they tend to be more tender and flavorful.
Older cuts can easily become tough when cooking.
When choosing lamb, choose cuts with fat content between 10% – 20%.
The lower the amount of fat, the healthier the meat.
You don’t want to go too low though because the lack of fat means the meat won’t hold up well while being stored.
While not ideal for every diet, lamb is considered a “healthy protein” due to its high nutritional value.
In general, lamb tends to contain less saturated fat than beef, which makes it easier to fit into a plant-based diet.
However, if you do enjoy consuming fatty foods, you can always add some olive oil, avocado, or cheese to make sure you get enough omega 3’s.
What Are The Benefits Of Eating Lamb Breast?
A lot of people think they won’t be able to tell whether or not the lamb was from pasture-raised, grass-fed, or free range because all of these terms refer to the animal being raised outdoors where it can graze freely on fresh green pastures.
However, many farms now use “free range” as shorthand for raising their lambs indoors and feeding them grain instead of grazing on grass.
Since the meat is no longer exposed to sunlight, it cannot absorb vitamin D like it would if it were allowed to roam outside.
While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, you do want to know what you are buying when you buy lamb.
While the term “grass fed” refers to how the lamb was raised, it doesn’t mean much when it comes to its nutritional value.
The USDA does not regulate how livestock farmers raise their animals so you could end up getting very different results depending on who raises your meat.
Benefits of lamb breast
- High in protein at 20%
- Low fat content (7%)
- Good source of omega 3 fatty acids
- Very low saturated fat content
- Rich in iron and zinc
- High in B vitamins such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid
- Contains selenium which protects against heart disease
- Can help lower cholesterol levels
Healthy choices for lamb breast
When choosing cuts of meat, always look at the portions. A whole leg of lamb weighs about 5 pounds (2 kg) and can feed four average adults.
You need only two ounces (.5 cup) per person, which is just half of a small boneless cutlet.
Another great idea is to make sandwiches out of the leftovers – a little goes a long way.
There are several sandwich recipes that call for leftover lamb breast.
If you don’t want to spend too much time preparing meals, try making some quick stir-fry dishes.
Are There Any Risks Associated With Eating Lamb Breast?
If you want to keep up with current food trends, then chances are good that you already know about the popularity of grass-fed beef.
However, if you don’t, here’s a quick rundown.
The main reason why people choose to eat grass-fed beef over regular beef is because they believe that their cows were raised without hormones or antibiotics.
They also claim that their cows had access to fresh air and green pastures.
Grass-fed beef doesn’t mean that it comes from a farm where all cows live in a fenced pasture surrounded by trees. Instead, it means that the cow itself was fed grass instead of grain.
While not as popular as organic beef, it does provide some important nutritional benefits.
Another benefit of grass-fed beef is its lower fat content compared to conventional beef.
In fact, it only contains 10 percent less fat than regular beef.
Grass-fed beef tends to be leaner due to the lack of grain consumption, which translates into fewer calories per serving.
As far as downsides go, there aren’t many.
Some people may experience gas after consuming grass-fed beef, while others may notice a slight increase in cholesterol levels.
There isn’t enough evidence to support either side of these claims, so it’s best to stick with what works best for your body.
Other ways to cook lamb breast
- Roasted lamb breast with minted yogurt sauce – You won’t miss the skin when preparing this roasted lamb breast recipe. With just 5 ingredients, this dish takes no time at all to make and is sure to impress your dinner guests.
- Seared lamb chops with lemon thyme butter – A simple yet elegant way to serve lamb chops. These succulent pieces of meat come together quickly in under 30 minutes and will leave your family asking for more.
- Lamb with pistachio pesto – This rich and creamy lamb dish is topped off with a flavorful homemade pistachio pesto. It’s packed full of healthy fats and protein too.
- Spicy lamb kebabs – Kebabs are great finger foods that everyone loves. Make them even better with this spicy lamb recipe that combines lean ground lamb with cumin, coriander, and chili powder.
Where Can I Find More Information On Lamb Breast Recipes?
There are many different ways you can cook lamb breasts.
You could roast them or grill them, depending on what type of preparation you prefer.
If you want to make sure they stay moist during cooking, try poaching them first before grilling or roasting them.
This method works well because it keeps the moisture inside while also adding flavor from the sauce.
Another option is pan frying. Pan frying gives you a lot of control over how long you cook your lamb breast.
The longer you simmer the pieces, the drier they get, so choose your timing carefully.
Try marinating lamb breasts beforehand if you want a little extra oomph when it comes time to cook.
You can also use this lamb breast recipe as part of a larger meal.
You might serve it alongside potatoes or pasta for a complete dinner, or pair it up with some roasted vegetables for easy weeknight meals.
If you don’t see exactly what you’re looking for here, be sure to check out our list of the best chicken dishes.
We’ve got everything from classic chicken parmigiana to chicken fried steak!
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- 3.7 lbs lamb breast
- 1 tsp dried chili flakes
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp sumac
- A few juniper berries crushed
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 5 tbsp olive oil
Sauce:
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- Mint leaves finely chopped
- sea salt
Instructions
- In a mortar and pestle, mix all the spices thoroughly. Olive oil and vinegar are then added, and combined.
- For the lamb breast with ribs, massage the mixture in.
- The meat should be marinated for 1-2 hours in the fridge for the maximum flavor (optional).
- Oven should be heated to 320°F (160°C).
- The marinated lamb should be spread out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Lamb breast should be baked for two hours at 320°F with aluminum foil covering. For the final 10-15 minutes of cooking, remove the foil and raise the temperature to 428°F (220°C) in order to give the lamb breasts a crisp, golden-brown crust.
- Prepare the sauce to serve with the lamb in the interim. Combine the lemon juice, brown sugar, and mint leaves in a small bowl.
- When the lamb is cooked, pour the sauce over the hot meat.
Video
Nutrition
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.