How to make chef Gareth Ward’s Welsh lamb

Gareth Ward runs the Michelin star restaurant Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms in Powys, named Best Restaurant in Wales at the National Restaurant Awards 2018 – so it’s fair to say, he knows his way around cooking Welsh lamb.

In this advanced recipe, the lamb is served in two parts: rib then loin. For the lamb rib portion, you’ll need a water bath. But if you haven’t got the kit, skip the rib and head straight for the lamb loin portion of the recipe, using the glaze from part one.

Print Recipe

Nutrition Facts

Welsh lamb

Amount Per Serving

Calories 503 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 1mg0%

Sodium 1407mg61%

Potassium 136mg4%

Carbohydrates 29g10%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 26g29%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 32mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Welsh lamb

There are two parts to this professional level dish

Cook Time1 day d 5 minutes mins

1 day d

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Welsh

Servings: 4

Calories: 503kcal

Author: Gareth Ward

Equipment

• Water bath 
• 4 pans
• Blender

Ingredients

• 2 lamb bellies with the rib bones still attached ask your butcher for these
• salt to season

For the glaze:

• 100 ml soya sauce
• 100 ml white wine vinegar
• big sprig of fresh mint
• 100 g brown sugar

For the loin:

• 1 lamb loin with the fat still attached
• 1 white skin onion peeled down to the nice centre piece
• bunch of fresh mint
• 500 ml Mint kombucha
• salt
• butter
• 3 g agar jelly (available in large supermarkets)
• Glaze from rib recipe (see instructions)

Method

For the lamb rib:

• Lightly season both sides of the lamb bellies.
• Vacuum tightly in a bag and cook at 68°C in a water bath for 24 hours or until bones can be removed easily. Take out of bath and press in the fridge for 24 hours.
• Portion the belly into individual ribs and trim to expose the bone on one side so it can be picked up and eaten.

For the glaze:

• Reduce all the ingredients together slowly in a pan until thick.

To serve:

• Cook the individual ribs in a pan on all sides until golden brown and crispy, and pop into a hot BBQ to finish.
• Brush on the glaze until nice and sticky and finish with fresh chopped mint.

For the loin:

• Score the fat on the lamb and season with salt. In a pan, cook slowly on the fat side for about five minutes on a medium heat. Flip onto the meat side and add a knob of butter and leave to rest until cooked to medium.
• Put 250ml of mint kombucha into a pan. Add 3g of agar and bring to the boil. Leave to set in the fridge. Blend once set hard with the remaining mint kombucha and pass.
• To finish the dish, take four slices of lamb and brush with the glaze from the ribs. Very thinly slice the onion (with a mandolin) over the top of the lamb. Spoon over the kombucha agar mixture and chop over some fresh mint.

Nutrition

Calories: 503kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 1407mg | Potassium: 136mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg

Recipe courtesy of Gareth Ward, chef owner at Ynyshir. 

You may also be interested in…

• How to make lamb in coriander sauce
• Lamb with pistachio herb crust recipe
• Lamb shanks in pomegranate and date syrup with aubergine couscous
• How to make Ben Tish’s Andalucían pork ribs with almonds and coriander
• 10 best castles in Wales to visit
• 6 stunning Welsh beaches that rival those in the Caribbean