Chapter 350: Chapter 207: Two Ultimate Ways to Cook Lamb - Roast Whole Lamb VS Dipped Lamb! [Seeking Monthly Ticket]_3
The steam produced by the evaporating water also helps to keep the lamb moist, preventing it from becoming too dry and tough.
"This seems like such a hassle!"
Shen Baobao bustled around Lin Xu, now handing him charcoal, now helping with the lighter. Evidently, the girl had rediscovered her childhood joy of playing with fire.
Lin Xu poured some cooking oil on a wad of tissue paper, stuffed it beneath the fruit-tree charcoal, and lit it with a lighter.
「Before long,」
the charcoal was ignited.
Once all the charcoal had caught fire, he stacked it into long rows along both sides of the grill’s drip tray. He also filled an elongated tray with water and placed it inside the grill.
After these preparations, the surface of the lamb had air-dried.
Lin Xu went to the kitchen. He poured some honey, maltose, and dark red vinegar into a bowl, then stirred the mixture evenly with chopsticks until the maltose dissolved. This created the simplest form of Crispy Skin Water.
He placed the air-dried lamb onto a tray. Using a brush, he dipped it into the Crispy Skin Water and coated the lamb all over, inside and out.
While he was brushing on the Crispy Skin Water, his younger cousins arrived on a four-wheeled electric utility vehicle. After greeting their cousin Lin Xu and cousin-in-law Shen Baobao, they all raised their phones and started filming again. The posts they made yesterday had garnered a wave of likes and followers, making them the center of attention among their classmates. Consequently, they were even more serious about filming today.
After applying the Crispy Skin Water, Lin Xu carried the whole lamb and returned it to the roasting spit to air dry.
「Before long,」
the lamb had air-dried again.
Lin Xu then carefully removed the lamb from the spit, placed it skin-down on a large tray, and laid the spit rod along its back, ready for tying.
He threaded a wire through the spine at the neck, securing the lamb’s cervical vertebrae firmly to the spit. After tying it, he tugged the lamb slightly to smooth out any wrinkles in the meat as much as possible. Then, he threaded wire through the thoracic vertebrae, likewise securing them to the spit. Next were the lumbar and caudal vertebrae.
Securing the entire spine with four wires was necessary to prevent the lamb from slipping, twisting, or losing its shape during roasting.
Once the spine was secured, Lin Xu, with the help of his two younger male cousins, tied all four lamb legs to the spit. Finally, he threaded wire through the ribs and tied them securely. Only then was the entire lamb firmly and wholly affixed to the roasting spit.
He carried the spit outside and carefully placed it on the third rack of the grill, beginning to roast over medium heat. He chose medium heat to quickly sear the lamb’s surface, which would lock in the moisture and ensure the roasted meat was tender and flavorful.
During roasting, the spit’s crank needed to be turned slowly. Turning it too quickly would extend the cooking time and cause the lamb to dry out. But it couldn’t be left stationary either, as that would lead to uneven cooking.
"Let me do it, let me do it! I’m really good at this step!"
Eager for more involvement, Shen Baobao enthusiastically volunteered for this task.
WOW! I never thought I’d get to participate in making such a grand dish! I absolutely have to post about this on my social media and show off.
Turning the spit handle with one hand, she used the other to record a short video, which she then posted to her social media feed:
"First time at my mother-in-law’s place, wanted to cook to show off a bit. Not sure what her favorite dish is, so I just went simple with a roast lamb!"
After she posted it, acquaintances mostly gave likes, impressed that Shen Jiayue could even roast a whole lamb. But for those who knew her well, the comments had a completely different tone.
Chen Yan: Yueyue, you’re getting more shameless by the day! You turn the handle a couple of times and suddenly you made the dish?
Wu Kexin: Boss Lady, be careful not to burn yourself while you’re ’playing’ around.
Geng Lele: I always thought Sister Yueyue was thin-skinned. Now I see I was too quick to judge.
Shen Guofu: Daughter, don’t mess with Lin Xu’s stuff. By the way, a lock went missing from the equipment room. Have you seen where it went?
Han Shuzhen: Why haven’t you ever shown off like this at home?
...
Seeing these comments, Shen Baobao wrinkled her nose.
They dare doubt my skills? I absolutely *have* to be truly involved in this dish today! Hmph! Once it’s ready, I’ll flood my social media feed and group chats with pictures to make them all drool with envy!
Just as she was delighting in these thoughts, her cousin Shi Molli, from her second aunt’s side of the family, came over.
"Cousin-in-law, Cousin-in-law, let me try, okay?"
"Sure, here you go."
Soon, a new post appeared on Shi Molli’s social media feed:
"My cousin brought his wife from Beijing back to our hometown. To welcome my cousin-in-law, I personally cooked a whole roast lamb. Who wants some?"
After she posted, it was Chen Yuanyuan’s younger brother, Chen Shaokang’s turn:
"I accidentally showed off my skills in cooking whole roast lamb at home last time. Oh boy, my family got hooked! Even my cousin came with his wife from Beijing just for a taste. I won’t show off my cooking skills recklessly again; it’s exhausting!"
Next was Xiao Xun, from his eldest aunt’s family:
"I never thought cooking was a difficult task; even roasting a whole lamb is just this simple. But my family just can’t handle it. Even my cousin came specially with his wife from Beijing to learn from me. Some things, it seems, aren’t about effort but about talent!"
Soon, all the children of their relatives had taken a turn posting.