roasting lamb

I had a partial success, partial failure, with l lamb roasting experiment last night. I started with a 3.5 pound leg of lamb (minus the shoulder, which is the way my market cuts it) and cut out the bone. This produced two separate pieces. Truth be told, I have no idea how to debone a lamb leg. I did my best to locate and sever tendons, and lay it flat. I then rubbed an herb mixture onto the meat--parsley, garlic, rosemary, ginger (all fresh, proportions ala Julia Child). I then rolled it, bound it with butcher's string and stuck it in the fridge for a couple of hours.

That night, I salted and peppered the meat and rubbed it in olive oil. It went on the grill at direct heat, 450, for about ten minutes (flipping once), and then I roasted at indirect heat, 350, for another 30 minutes before checking the temperature. This turned out to be overdone. And the crust to the meat was, frankly, too much for a roast.

It was a disappointment, of course, especially since it was the centerpiece of a four course celebratory meal. But I think in the future I can treat this much the same way I would a hanger steak. Cut the searing to two minutes a side, put it on indirect for fifteen minutes at 300-350 and check the temp. The searing should only serve to squeeze the meat to savor its juices. I am wondering here if it is not possible to slow roast it after a quick sear at an even lower temp (say, 250). I don't know enough about the mechanics of roasting to answer this definitively. Given that the lamb roast is so small (no six pound shoulder this), I ought to be able to treat it differently.

The oxheart pink has arrived

Finally, one of the oxheart pink tomatoes has begun turning, enough so that I could pick it. It is pinkish, much lighter than the Amish Paste. This has been a low yielding plant, but the fruit is big and the squirrels have had their share (sadly).

The word on the gardening street is that oxheart pinks are better for sandwiches, and amish pastes are perfect for sauces. I'm hoping next year to can some marinara sauce for storage, and to get three plants growing sandwich varietals as well.

pork chops with an oregano-sage rub

I tried the following for a rub: coarsely chopped oregano and sage, cracked black/white/green/red pepper, olive oil. I pressed the herbs into the meat and let refrigerate for two hours. Then kosher salt, generously applied before grilling.

The grill was a problem. It took nearly an hour to get it up to temperature and even then the fire was uneven. Ended up doing a double sear with one flip, five minutes total. Heat was then cut down and chops cooked for another two minutes a side. Tented with aluminum foil while the zuchini/squash hybrid (squachini? zuquash?) grilled. Another ten to fifteen minutes.

The meat was pretty much perfect, although a hotter fire at the beginning would have given it a better crust. But sometimes you have to roll with the punches.

New plots

So I have two new nine foot rows. Each is about 1 foot wide and runs a foot deep, although they vary in depth from eight inches to fifteen. I filled each trench with 7 cubic feet of organic garden soil, 2 cubic feet of sorghum moss, 1.5 feet of potting soil and about 1 cubic foot of black kow. All was mixed together, save one foot of potting soil which went on the very top.

I will call them rows A & B, which is left to right facing the street.
Planted August 14, 2011.

Row A: pink beauty radishes; broccoli

Row B: bibb lettuce

Pink beauty Radishes. Ferry Morse
4-7 days to germination
27 days to harvest
1/2 inch planting depth
1 inch spacing

When plants have 3 or 4 leaves, think to one inch apart. For steady crop, sow seeds every 10 days until warm weather and again in fall until 30 days before frost.
"Pink beauty has pink color and smooth texture. It grows large but stays mild and not pithy. The flesh is crisp white and has a unique flavor. If you are looking for a radish to add color to relish trays, Pink Beauty is perfect."

Broccoli (Green Sprouting Calabrese) Ferry Morse (organic seeds)
10-14 days to germination
70-90 days to harvest
1/2 inch planting depth
2 feet plant spacing

I did not follow the instructions, which call for sowing 2-3 seeds together outdoors every 2 feet. Rather, I put them all about a half an inch apart. Thin to 1 plant every 2 feet when 1 nch tall. Keep watered and fertilized. Cut before buds open for best harvest.

Broccoli is a good producer again when planted in summer for fall harvest until frost.


Bibb Letuce. Ferry Morse
7-10 days to germination
57 days to harvest
1/4 inch planting depth
10 inch plant spacing

Thin plants to 10 inches apart when they are 2 inches tall. Harvest entire head at maturity.

"A buterhead variety considered a real delicacy. Easy to grow. The small, somewhat loose head is tender with a distinctive flavor. Early starting is advised to avoid bolting to seed in hot weather. This packet will plant approximately a 70 foot row."

tomato update

The amish paste tomatoes seem to have taken over the first patch. They have produced a good first crop, probably 10-12 tomatoes, and appear to be ready to produce another quite soon. The other two plants appear to be utter failures.

In the planter, the cabernet grape tomatoes are giving us a consistent crop. They have proved quite viney, and have actually nearly taken over the other two plants. The oxheart pinks and tappy's heritage are producing green fruit, but none have turned yet.