Chapter 349: Chapter 207: Two Ultimate Ways to Cook Lamb - Roast Whole Lamb vs Dipped Lamb! 【Seeking Monthly Ticket】_2
The top floor of the Cliff Hotel featured two extra-large guest rooms, each boasting 270-degree floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides that offered stunning views.
Since he and Shen Baobao were staying here tonight, naturally, they had to choose the best room. The room was booked. He and Shen Jiayue moved their luggage in.
"Wow! This room is even prettier!"
The room’s floor was so shiny it could serve as a mirror. Apart from the solid wall separating it from the next room, all other sides were made of huge floor-to-ceiling glass, offering a breathtaking, panoramic view of the distant mountains. If it were too sunny during the day, the electric curtains could be closed, only to be opened again at night.
After setting down their luggage, he stuffed yesterday’s dirty clothes into the room’s washing machine, poured in detergent and disinfectant, turned on the quick wash function, and then hung the clothes out on the balcony.
Ah, such wonderful sunlight, such a perfect spot. It would be a shame not to dry clothes here.
"I’m going to my uncle’s restaurant to prepare the roast whole lamb. Do you want to rest here or come with me?"
On the three-meter-wide king-size bed, Shen Baobao, who had been rolling around, immediately hopped off and started putting on her shoes, exclaiming, "I’m coming too! I’m coming too! I even dreamed about roast whole lamb last night. You complained I ate too much and only let me gnaw on one lamb leg..."
Lin Xu was taken aback. Isn’t one lamb leg enough?
He took the girl’s hand and said, "Besides the roast whole lamb, there will also be dip sauce lamb and dry-fried goose chunks today. You’ll definitely get your fill."
"Thank you, Xu Bao! MWAH! Here’s a big kiss for you!"
The young couple headed downstairs. By this time, his mom had already taken Dundun and Chen Yuanyuan to the ticket office.
It was now the summer holidays, and many children had begged their parents early in the morning to bring them to play. The water in the water park wasn’t deep, and with plenty of lifeguards patrolling, the children never tired of playing in it.
They arrived at the visitor service center at the base of the mountain and parked the car in a shady spot under a tree. As soon as he got out of the car, Lin Xu spotted the new roasting rack his uncle had purchased.
The roasting rack, which included a base for charcoal, was about a meter wide. Each end featured two steel pipes with hooks welded evenly across them, allowing the height of the roasting spit to be adjusted according to the heat, preventing the lamb from charring or being undercooked. The stainless steel roasting spit was also large, equipped with long handles for easy rotation while roasting the lamb.
"Xiaoxu, what do you think of this roasting rack?"
"Not bad, not bad at all. It’s quite sturdy and perfect for roasting lamb."
Upon entering the kitchen, Lin Xu saw four lamb legs soaking in a basin of water.
"These four are all hind legs," his uncle explained. "This morning, your aunt and I specifically went to a lamb butcher stall in the outskirts to get them. Hearing you were making dip sauce lamb, the stall owner specially selected two fattened lambs for us that had just turned a year old."
Dip sauce lamb couldn’t be made with lamb that was too old, as it would be too tough to chew. But it also couldn’t be made with lamb that was too young, as the meat would be too tender and lack texture. The best choice was full-grown fattened lamb. At this stage, the lamb meat was at its tastiest: the lean parts were firm but not dry, and the fatty parts rich but not greasy, making it suitable for any dish.
"What should we start with? Boiling the lamb or roasting it?" his uncle asked excitedly.
Lin Xu opened the refrigerator, took out the lamb that had marinated overnight, and said, "We need to wash this lamb first, rinse off the surface seasonings, dry off the surface moisture, apply a layer of Crispy Skin Water, and then let it air dry a bit more before it goes on the rack."
The two lamb dishes they were preparing today, roast whole lamb and dip sauce lamb, represented two extremes. Roast whole lamb was intricate to the extreme, while dip sauce lamb was extremely simple.
Roast whole lamb needed to be marinated a day in advance. For a more meticulous approach, it first required over eighteen hours of acid-draining in the freezer before marination. After marination, it had to undergo a series of steps: washing, drying, applying Crispy Skin Water, drying again, racking, roasting over medium heat, basting with oil, roasting over low heat, basting again, roasting over high heat, and finally, sprinkling with spices. It was an extremely intricate process.
Conversely, dip sauce lamb was straightforward: just boil it in water. Lin Xu wasn’t entirely sure if any additional seasonings were required for the dip sauce lamb. He planned to call his senior apprentice-brother later to understand the process thoroughly before starting.
After a night of marination, the marinade in the tray seemed reduced, likely absorbed by the lamb. He half-filled a large basin with water and then dunked the lamb in to rinse off the surface seasonings. This step was crucial; even the marinade inside the cavity had to be thoroughly washed out. Otherwise, during roasting, these seasonings would burn and turn bitter, affecting the taste and texture of the roast whole lamb.
After cleaning it thoroughly, he set up the roasting spit between two tables, spread the whole lamb on it, and aimed a fan at the lamb to expedite the evaporation of surface moisture.
While the lamb was air-drying, Lin Xu went outside, placed the roasting rack in the shade of a courtyard tree, and began to light the charcoal.
The delicacy of roast whole lamb wasn’t just about its complicated steps; there were many subtleties involved. For instance, during roasting, the charcoal shouldn’t be placed directly under the lamb, as the heat would be too concentrated and would char the meat. Furthermore, as lamb fat dripped down during roasting, it could ignite the charcoal, generating even more heat and charring the meat more thoroughly.
To achieve golden, crispy lamb, the charcoal needed to be placed on both sides of the roasting rack’s tray. This dispersed the heat, ensuring the lamb cooked evenly. Experienced barbecue chefs would even place an elongated tray filled with some water in the middle of the charcoal bed, directly beneath the lamb. This way, when lamb fat dripped down, it wouldn’t splash everywhere and ignite the charcoal.