I bet most of you won’t know this…
Every leg of lamb comes with a little something special – a gland that sits in the shank end of the leg between the bottom round and the eye of the round.
The gland is embedded in a little chunk of suet (fat) inside the leg. Unless you’ve taken a butchering course, it’s unlikely that you’ll find it … and you certainly won’t know about it.
This gland should be removed before you cook the leg.
Why, you ask? No, it won’t kill you, but it will make the meat taste very gamey (which may be why many of you have never liked leg of lamb). Removing the gland changes the taste of the lamb – makes it mild and delicious.
Many, if not most, meat departments sell leg of lamb with the gland in. So it’s up to you, the educated consumer, to request “oven-ready” leg of lamb – eg., with the gland removed.
Your options? Either ask your supermarket meat department to remove the gland (don’t assume that it’s not there!), or find a good butcher you trust.
Just saying.