Possible to save my lamb roast? help!

icandream

Hi - if anybody can offer advice, asap, I'd be grateful.
I put a shoulder of lamb in the oven this afternoon before going out for a walk. I followed the jamie oliver recipe where you put in rosemary and garlic, and a bit of olive oil, and seal it in foil. I'd put the oven high to begin, then turned it down to no. 3 (gas).
I've just looked, and it's been in for 3 hours. It's really tough, not 'falling off the bone' at all, as when he did it. It's also floating in a bit of water! (This was a good joint, from my jolly local butcher, not the supermarket, so don't know why - Jamie talks of nice crusty bits. Hah! Not mine. Anyway, please, can I do anything to save it, ie whack the oven up for an hour, or will this be inedible? I'd really appreciate advise.

trying-very-trying

Could you bung it in the slow cooker? It wouldn't be ready tonight, but at least it won't be totally wasted. Sorry, that's all I can think of, I don't cook lamb!

icandream

Thanks - I had thought that I'll do that if I have to and have it as a casserole during the week, if it works, but the problem is I have 5 hungry mouths to feed and the centrepiece of the meal is missing! But thanks for replying - desperate for any suggestion!

mary43

OH suggests taking the tin foil off and turning the oven up higher.
Can't think of anything else. Might work.
Funny enough, we've got pork in the oven thats taking longer than normal.

icandream

Hi Mary :hello:- thanks, will try that. I don't know why it's not working... shouldn't have followed a 'celebrity' recipe! lol. Perhaps you're pinching all the power and it won't be tough given another couple of hours! :rotfl:(Though the children will be starving by then!)

kandyfloss

If I was you I would turn the gas up to a higher number.As you have found,Gas mark 3 for three hours hasn't done it any good,unless you do as tryingverytrying says and bung it in the slow cooker and see if you have anything in the freezer that you can russel up quiet quickly.
To be honest,I sometimes think that you are better to cook things that you are happy with and not experiment when you have five hungry mouths to feed.
If you have some large spuds,and some sausages and perhaps some baked beans you could quickly microwave the spuds,fry the sausages and cook the beans until they are hot enough.Serve with salad stuff if you have any or else try grating some cheese over the top of the beans if you don't have any sausages.
Good luck and do let us know if you have managed to get a meal done for everyone...

icandream

Thanks kandyfloss - yes, why on earth I experimented, I don't know. Yes I do. It's cos OH has been away, and I wanted to welcome him back in style! lol to that!
I've just turned it right up, and will see what happens over the next hour. They can wait till 7.30 ish without going into meltdown. Then it'll be the sausages and beans option, but what a disappointment! I was sooooo looking forward to it.

Wonder_Girl

This sometimes happens to me when i'm cooking a whole chicken. I put it in for the right time and when I go to check it's still bloody in the middle, I think it's something to do with the foil, I have found that either cooking it naked or in a dish with a lid lets it cook through in the time.

Anyway, no help for this one....you can eat lamb pink so I wouldn't worry if it's a bit undercooked, whack it in for another 20-30 mins on a higher heat and carve, if your family is a little squimish about bloody meat then pop the sliced meat in a pan and pour over some gravy and heat for a few mins, Good luck

WG x

squeaky

An alternative is to put it into the microwave.

They tend to cook from the inside out.

It'll need to be covered because it will spit a bit.

Nearest I can find in my books is saddle of lamb which needs 8 mins per pound from raw.

So for a guess - since yours is mostly cooked - about three minutes per pound should finish things off.

icandream

Thanks WG - the higher heat seems to be working. I think the foil was a mistake! I'm just hoping it's not going to be tough and horrible.
Thanks again Mary - I think the heat up and removing the foil was dead right. Fingers crossed I get an edible meal out of it tonight.

icandream

Hi Squeaky - thanks. Gosh, I didn't think about putting a joint in the microwave. I use my microwave for hot chocolate for the littleuns, and ... I think that's about it! No, not true, it's good for porridge. I've never really understood microwaves.
I may do this if it's still bloody inside at 7pm.