Lamb is one of the most delicious types of meat; you can cook both first and second courses from it. Lamb broth is the basis of many classic soups: kharcho, shurpa, beshbarmak, etc. When boiling lamb, certain rules must be followed to make the broth rich and transparent, and the meat itself tender and aromatic.
How to make mutton broth
For the preparation of the broth, it is better to take lamb on the bones, it is they who will give the broth a rich taste. The neck or kidneys, brisket or shoulder blade are ideal. If possible, it is better to chop the bones, especially the brain, tubular. Before cooking, the meat should be washed and, soaked in cold water, let it stand for half an hour or an hour.
Transfer the lamb to a saucepan and cover with cold water so that it covers the meat, but no more than a finger. Place the pot on the stove over high heat. Do not go far - the moment of boiling cannot be missed. Before the water boils, carefully remove the resulting foam. Immediately after boiling, reduce the heat to low, salt the broth, put in it the peeled but not cut onion and carrots, cut in half.
The duration of cooking is determined by the age of the lamb. To cook the meat of a young ram, 1.5 hours will be enough, an adult ram, which is slaughtered at the age of about 1 year, will cook for about 2 hours. For the broth, it is preferable to choose the meat of an adult ram, since its taste is more intense, and the broth is the same. 15 minutes before the end of cooking the broth, put peppercorns and bay leaves in it. It is better not to put a lot of spices, so as not to kill the natural aroma of lamb.
Boiled lamb
In the case when you need not so much broth as tasty boiled meat, it should be put in already boiling water, but in this case there should not be too much of it, just so that it covers the meat cut into large pieces. Wait for the boil to begin, remove the foam, reduce the heat and cook the meat in the same way as for broth. The most important thing is not to let the water boil, let the lamb cook over the slowest heat with the addition of onions and carrots, you can also add a piece of celery or parsnip to the broth. Before the end of cooking, do not forget to put bay leaves and peppercorns in it.
Boiled meat is served hot, sprinkled with fresh finely chopped herbs. It can also be sprinkled with finely chopped onions, which should be rinsed in cold water before removing the characteristic onion bitterness and pungency. From spices to boiled meat, mustard or horseradish, classic adjika or adjika from fresh tomatoes with garlic are perfect. For a side dish with boiled lamb, you can make mashed potatoes or boil rice with spices.
