Roast Leg of Hogget

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This could not be simpler or more succulent.

At this time of year cold cuts are always useful and a leg is a meaty joint that will provide a family dinner, cold meat for lunches and a tasty shepherds pie for the freezer.

You will need:
a Leg of Hogget
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
4 - 6 cloves of garlic
Two big sprigs of rosemary
500ml water
Assorted vegetables for roasting - Potatoes, Carrots, Kumara*, Parsnips, Beetroots and/or Pumpkin, Yams etc cut into similar sized pieces, not too small.
1Tbsp Beurre Manie**
A little vegetable stock 

A roasting pan big enough for the leg and the roast vegetables.

Method
Weigh the meat to calculate cooking time
Score the skin of the leg in a criss cross diamond patter about 1" apart and place in the roasting pan.
Crush the garlic with a large flat knife and spread onto the skin
Sprinkle with plenty of coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place the rosemary on top 
Pour the water into the pan 
Cover with foil and seal tightly 
Roast at 160°C for 25 minutes per kilo, minus 30 minutes. (If you like slightly less done - 20 min per kilo, but you won't get the lovely falling apart tender that the extra time gives). An average leg is 3 to 31/2 hours.
When the time is up remove the pan from the oven. 
Increase the oven to 200°C.
Uncover the meat and drain off the fat (don't throw it away!), then pour the juices into a small saucepan. 
Put about 2 Tbsp of the reserved drippings back into the pan for your roast vegetables. Don't throw the rest away - you can use it for delicious crisp roast potatoes on another occasion.
Now put the meat and prepared Potatoes, Carrots, Kumara, Parsnips, Beetroots and/or Pumpkin back into the roasting pan. 
Put back in the oven for 30 minutes
Remove the meat to a carving platter and cover tightly with foil to rest.  
Allow the vegetables a further 30 minutes or until done.
Make gravy from the reserved juices - I make a buerre manie and whisk that in whilst gently heating, I then dilute to the desired consistency with a little vegetable stock. .
and here is the dinner you would get at my house this evening...

*Kumara is NZ sweet potato; any sweet potato would substitute

**Beurre manié (French "kneaded butter") is a dough, consisting of equal parts of soft butter and flour, used to thicken soups and sauces. By kneading the flour and butter together, the flour particles are coated in butter. When the beurre manié is whisked into a hot or warm liquid, the butter melts, releasing the flour particles without creating lumps.

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Effigy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Chef Joined: 17 June 2013 Location: New Zealand Status: Offline Points: 633	Post Options Post Reply Quote Effigy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Roast Leg of Hogget Posted: 09 December 2013 at 19:41
	This could not be simpler or more succulent. At this time of year cold cuts are always useful and a leg is a meaty joint that will provide a family dinner, cold meat for lunches and a tasty shepherds pie for the freezer. You will need: a Leg of Hogget Sea Salt Black Pepper 4 - 6 cloves of garlic Two big sprigs of rosemary 500ml water Assorted vegetables for roasting - Potatoes, Carrots, Kumara, Parsnips, Beetroots and/or Pumpkin, Yams etc cut into similar sized pieces, not too small. 1Tbsp Beurre Manie* A little vegetable stock A roasting pan big enough for the leg and the roast vegetables. Method Weigh the meat to calculate cooking time Score the skin of the leg in a criss cross diamond patter about 1" apart and place in the roasting pan. Crush the garlic with a large flat knife and spread onto the skin Sprinkle with plenty of coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Place the rosemary on top Pour the water into the pan Cover with foil and seal tightly Roast at 160°C for 25 minutes per kilo, minus 30 minutes. (If you like slightly less done - 20 min per kilo, but you won't get the lovely falling apart tender that the extra time gives). An average leg is 3 to 31/2 hours. When the time is up remove the pan from the oven. Increase the oven to 200°C. Uncover the meat and drain off the fat (don't throw it away!), then pour the juices into a small saucepan. Put about 2 Tbsp of the reserved drippings back into the pan for your roast vegetables. Don't throw the rest away - you can use it for delicious crisp roast potatoes on another occasion. Now put the meat and prepared Potatoes, Carrots, Kumara, Parsnips, Beetroots and/or Pumpkin back into the roasting pan. Put back in the oven for 30 minutes Remove the meat to a carving platter and cover tightly with foil to rest. Allow the vegetables a further 30 minutes or until done. Make gravy from the reserved juices - I make a buerre manie and whisk that in whilst gently heating, I then dilute to the desired consistency with a little vegetable stock. . and here is the dinner you would get at my house this evening... Kumara is NZ sweet potato; any sweet potato would substitute *Beurre manié (French "kneaded butter") is a dough, consisting of equal parts of soft butter and flour, used to thicken soups and sauces. By kneading the flour and butter together, the flour particles are coated in butter. When the beurre manié is whisked into a hot or warm liquid, the butter melts, releasing the flour particles without creating lumps.
	Resident Peasant

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africanmeat Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Chef Joined: 20 January 2012 Location: south africa Status: Offline Points: 910	Post Options Post Reply Quote africanmeat Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 09 December 2013 at 23:21
	Eeeigy this is always a wining dish , great show . thanks.
	Ahron

Effigy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Chef Joined: 17 June 2013 Location: New Zealand Status: Offline Points: 633	Post Options Post Reply Quote Effigy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 09 December 2013 at 23:58
	Thanks Ahron, I am adding pictures as it cooks....
	Resident Peasant

AK1 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Master Chef Joined: 10 April 2012 Location: Ontario, Canada Status: Offline Points: 1081	Post Options Post Reply Quote AK1 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 10 December 2013 at 00:26
	OK, I gotta ask. What is a Hogget?

Effigy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Chef Joined: 17 June 2013 Location: New Zealand Status: Offline Points: 633	Post Options Post Reply Quote Effigy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 10 December 2013 at 00:32
	Hogget — a sheep of either sex having no more than two permanent incisors in wear. That is the strict farming distinction... this next one was written by a fellow cook... Hogget is a farming term that refers to young sheep and may refer to: A live domestic sheep between one and two years of age, in casual speech...the meat from such an animal. Hogget meat tends to be of a darker red color than meat from a younger lamb and to have a slightly richer flavor.
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Hoser Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 06 February 2010 Location: Cumberland, RI Status: Offline Points: 3454	Post Options Post Reply Quote Hoser Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 10 December 2013 at 02:10
	Ohhhhh boy oh boy oh boy do I wish I was at your house tonight.! Magnificent meal there Anne.
	Go ahead...play with your food!

TasunkaWitko Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 25 January 2010 Location: Chinook, MT Status: Offline Points: 9389	Post Options Post Reply Quote TasunkaWitko Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 10 December 2013 at 23:38
	outstanding, anne! i'd be happy to sit down at a table where that is served any time! excellent work and beautiful photos - and i learned a few new things today as well, so thank you for the edification!
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Margi Cintrano Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Master Chef Joined: 03 February 2012 Location: Spain Status: Offline Points: 6362	Post Options Post Reply Quote Margi Cintrano Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23 December 2013 at 01:15
	Anne, Compliments to the Chef dear. Lovely traditional roast and pretty presentation. Happy Holidays, Margaux.
	Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina.