Lechazo Asado

Spanish Roast Lamb. Castilian style recipe.

Spanish Roast Lamb is one of the most commonly consumed meats in the autonomous region of Castilla y León. In fact, the quality of this Spanish food is certified in 483 counties and accounts for 67,000 young lambs per year. Moreover, the lamb of Castilla y León must satisfy a minimum weight and age requirements that are controlled by a Government Council that has its headquarters in Aranda de Duero, Burgos.

As it happens with Segovia suckling pig, the meat from young milk-fed lamb sacrificed with 25 days old is very tender and soft. Yet this meat have much fat than suckling pig as fat is the main ingredient of sheep's milk.

Lamb it is commonly eaten grilled and garnished with half a head of garlic, salt, lemon juice, water, and oil, although this lamb’s meat is nowadays often used in Spanish new cuisine recipes or in the preparation of Spanish tapas.

Spanish Roast Lamb dishes are local specialties in Ávila, Valladolid, and Burgos, although Aranda de Duero’s Roast Lamb, a town in an area of the Duero valley, is widely popular. In fact, this town of the province of Burgos owes its fame to Roast Lamb and Ribera del Duero’s wine, the most prestigious Spanish wine region within easy reach of Spain’s capital city.

Spanish Recipe: Roasted Young

Lamb Throughout fall and winter, one of Castilla y León’s best dishes is the roasted young lamb. It is an easy Spanish recipe to cook at home, although it always tastes better roasted in a wooden oven. Legs and shoulders of lamb provide this dish with a unique flavor, very tasty. The recipe that follows is very traditional and Spaniards love it. Although there are variations, it is an easy recipe and delicious recipe.

Ingredients

1 young lamb, preferably from Castilla y León and labeled I.G.P, salt and water.

The young lamb is a baby sheep that is slaughtered within 25 or 30 days of life with a weight that goes from 10 to 12 kilos. Once the fresh lamb is prepared and cleaned, each piece weights 5 or 6 kilos. The meat may have up to 9% of fat because the feeding of young animals is based exclusively on maternal milk, and sheep milk has a high fat content.

Preparation

Preheat the oven up to 190 º C. Dissolve a tablespoon of salt in a glass of water, rub the lamb with salt water and put it in a large clay pot containing half of the finger of water. Bake it for 90 minutes and turn it around a couple of times. The lamb will be roasted as soon as the skin turns golden and crispy.

Once roasted, you can remove the lamb and serve it hot with a simple green salad. The standard ingredients usually are lettuce and fresh onion. Serve this dish with a good Ribera del Duero’s red wine.

Other options

If you do not want to wait until the lamb gets ready at home, there are plenty of restaurants in Castilla y León in which you can order this wonderful dish.