How to carve a lamb roast

Carving a leg of lamb

To make carving a leg of lamb easier, ask your butcher to leave the shank bone attached to the leg (not sawn in half). Hold the shank with a clean cloth or thick paper towel. If the shank bone has been removed, secure the leg with a carving fork at the shank end. 

Step 1 – Place the leg on a carving board and hold it firmly by the end of the shank bone. Remove two or three slices from the thin side, cutting parallel to the length of the leg.

Step 2 – Turn the roast so that it rests on the cut surface, which forms a base. About 12cm up from the shank end, remove a small wedge shaped piece of meat.

Step 3 – Starting at the wedge, cut slices about 2cm thick, working vertically to the bone. Cut through the meat to the bone. Then, starting at the wedge, cut horizontally along the bone to release the slices.

Another method for carving a leg of lamb

Place the leg on a carving board and hold it firmly by the end of the shank bone. Remove two or three slices from the thin side, cutting parallel to the length of the leg.

Turn the roast so that it rests on the cut surface, which forms a base. Tilt the leg slightly, cut a slice about 2cm thick from this meaty side, and continue to cut slices, always cutting away from you and parallel to the bone. Turn the leg to expose the flatter side and continue to carve.

Carving an easy-carve leg of lamb

Hold the shank with one hand and carve the lamb as you would a loaf of bread. Use a slicing rather than sawing action, making use of the full length of the blade in a gentle follow-through motion with each slice.

Carving a rack of lamb

Place the rack of rib chops on the carving board. To steady the rack, lightly pierce the meat with the fork at one end. If the first chop looks like it will be small when it’s cut, make the initial cut after the first two bones on the other end. This establishes a straight cut.

Slice straight down between the second and third rib bones and serve the first two ribs as one chop. Cut the remaining ribs one at a time. Be careful not to cut at an angle or you will have three bones and no meat at the end. To serve, pick up the chop on the flat of the knife, holding it firmly with the carving fork. 

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