Recipes

Braised Leg of Lamb with Graukäse Polenta

  • Serves

    serves 6-8

  • Time

    9 hours

Braised Leg of Lamb with Graukäse Polenta
TOM PARKER

By Norbert Niederkofler


Published on November 30, 2015

Chef Norbert Niederkofler of St. Hubertus in Badia, Italy, braises his leg of lamb for hours and finishes it over a grill. To simplify the process, we put our braised leg under the broiler. The accompanying polenta is flavored with Graukäse, a pungent local cheese. Substitute other strong-flavored Alpine cheeses like raclette or Gruyère in its place.

Ingredients

For the Lamb Stock

  • 12 oz. lamb bones
  • 1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, roughly chopped
  • 12 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp. whole juniper berries
  • 2 bay leaves

For the Braise and Polenta

  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 (4-lb.) bone-in leg of lamb
  • 2 tbsp. kosher salt, plus more
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, roughly chopped
  • 12 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
  • 10 sprigs rosemary
  • 1 bunch thyme
  • 3 cups coarse-ground polenta
  • 1 cup (4 oz.) grated Graukäse, raclette, or Gruyère cheese
  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter

Instructions

Step 1

Make the lamb stock: Heat the oven to 350°. Place the lamb bones on a baking sheet and roast until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer the bones to a large saucepan along with half each of the celery, carrots, and onion; the juniper berries; bay leaves; and 12 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer, and cook until the bones have released their flavor, about 3 hours. Pour the lamb stock through a fine sieve into a bowl and discard the solids.

Step 2

Reduce the oven temperature to 300°. In a roasting pan over two burners, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Season the lamb all over with salt and pepper, add to the pan, and cook, turning, until browned on all sides, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a platter and add the remaining celery, carrots, and onion to the pan along with the rosemary and thyme. Cook the vegetables, stirring, until browned and soft, about 6 minutes. Return the lamb to the pan along with the lamb stock and bring to a boil. Cover the roasting pan with foil and place the lamb in the oven. Braise the lamb until very tender, about 3 hours.

Step 3

In a large saucepan, bring 8 cups water to a boil. While whisking, slowly pour the polenta and the 2 tablespoons salt into the water and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, stirring steadily, until the polenta is tender and smooth, about 1 hour. Remove the polenta from the heat and stir in the cheese and butter. Season with pepper and keep warm until ready to serve.

Step 4

Transfer the lamb to a cutting board and pour the pan juices through a fine sieve into a bowl. Skim and discard the fat and pour the juices into a small saucepan. Bring the juices to a boil and cook until the sauce reduces to 1 cup, about 15 minutes. Heat the broiler. Transfer the lamb to a foil-lined baking sheet and broil, turning, until browned and crisp on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a large dish and serve with the polenta and sauce.

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