Preferences for cooking meats such as lamb vary: some people like to eat it in small pieces, others on ribs, and still others stew. Accordingly, the preferences in spices, seasonings and herbs that are added to lamb are also different. But in order to know what to choose from, you need to navigate the variety of flavoring additives in meat.
Salt, pepper and coarse seasonings
It would seem that such a simple ingredient as salt is the subject of much debate and controversy among professional chefs who use lamb in cooking. Some people believe that it is necessary to add some salt to the meat when it is on the grill, and never before it is marinated. Others do not salt the lamb at all, since the wood ash that will get on the meat during cooking will naturally salt it. Still others prefer to add salt before direct cooking into the marinade, since in this case it will better interact with the marinade and play the role of a kind of preservative. However, most of the chefs agree on one thing - when roasting lamb on charcoal, it is best to use sea salt, not table salt.
As for pepper, for lamb in particular and for meat dishes in general, it is better to take several varieties of this seasoning at once, both ground and peas. Black pepper will give the meat a unique aroma, white pepper is best suited for marinating young lamb, since a more tender, red hot pepper will add a very bright taste to the dish, and green pepper will make the lamb more tender. Sweet ground paprika is also suitable for this type of meat, which will give the already cooked dish a very appetizing crust.
The bay leaf, which some chefs consider a coarse seasoning, is best added to the marinade by breaking it into small pieces.
Other lamb additives
When marinating this type of meat, basil, oregano, tarragon, oregano or marjoram, sage, thyme and rosemary will give it simply unique shades. Moreover, the last spicy herb is considered to be the most suitable for tender lamb. It is also possible not to use the above additives in the marinade, as it is enough just to sprinkle them on hot coals.
As for spice mixtures, it is best to make one at home or buy standard and universal suneli hops. The problem is that unscrupulous manufacturers often indicate the correct composition on the package, and a mixture is placed inside it, in which, for example, red pepper will be replaced with dried tomato.
Also, onions, garlic, nutmeg (but in very small quantities), turmeric, ginger, cardamom, aromatic cumin and coriander go well with lamb. But you can also experiment by adding traditional Asian spice mixes to the meat, which will add more variety to the dish.
