Lamb Leg Steak with Shallots and Red Wine Sauce

Name: Lamb Leg Steak with Shallots and Red Wine Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 8 brown shallots, peeled and quartered but left whole at the root; 2 lamb leg steaks, about 175g (6 oz) each; 25g (1 oz) butter; 60ml (4 tbsp) balsamic vinegar; 175ml (6 fl oz) red wine; 150ml (¼ pint) lamb stock; 5ml (1 tsp) redcurrant jelly [optional]

2 November 2020 - By Michelle Minnaar
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A quick and easy recipe that’s incredibly tasty, lamb leg steak is the perfect meal to make for the one you love.

With simple ingredients, minimal cook time and a flavor that’ll make you swoon, lamb leg steak has that rustic yet sophisticated charm that’s impossible to resist.

Products you need for this recipe

Here’s a list of kitchen items and ingredients that you need to make this lamb steak recipe:

Cast iron skillet – when it comes to a good searing pan, only cast iron will do. You want a pan that can stand the heat, producing the sticky bits that come from searing the lamb in 5 minutes flat. This is where the magic is!
Saucepan – you’ll need to simmer your shallots in a saucepan to soften them, before adding them to the frying pan.
Balsamic vinegar – get a quality balsamic vinegar to bring a bit of sweetness and acidity to the lamb steaks sauce.
Red wine – a good quality red wine really makes the difference to this lamb steak recipe. Go for something rich and full bodied.
Beef stock – beef stock brings an extra richness to your lamb steaks sauce. You could also use lamb stock.
Redcurrant jelly – an optional extra, redcurrant jelly will bring an extra dimension of fruit flavor to your lamb steaks sauce.

Lamb leg steaks in oven

You can also cook lamb steaks in the oven. It’s best to start lamb steaks on a very high heat, either on the hob or in the oven. Once they’re in the oven, cook them for 10 minutes at 180°C (350°F).

Lamb steaks grill

You could also cook lamb steaks under a medium grill. Cooking lamb this way is healthier than frying, although you won’t get the delicious succulent sauce.

Are lamb leg steaks tough?

Despite what a lot of people think, lamb steaks shouldn’t be tough.

Get your steaks to room temperature before you cook them and cook them hot and fast. Then they’ll be tender.

What wine goes best with lamb steaks?

Lamb is the ultimate spring-time meat and, however it is cooked, there is a real affinity with Merlot.

The fast cooking in this recipe really enhances the flavors of the lamb. This makes it the perfect pairing with something rich and rounded, like Chateau Le Puy from Bordeaux.

Merlot dominates the blend and, thanks to careful grape selection and winemaking, there is a purity to the fruit – with notes of ripe cherries, raspberries and plums – flavors that naturally complement lamb.

Another great choice is a Cabernet Franc. Chinon is a village in the Loire Valley of France where red wine is produced using the Cabernet Franc grape. Cabernet Franc is a more rustic wine than the more popular and fruity Cabernet Sauvignon. So, for a simple lamb dish like this, it’s a great choice.

Cabernet Franc has a subtle blend of black and red forest fruits, which match the sticky shallots. It also has a soft black peppery finish that adds to the savoury, earthy quality, bringing out the flavor and meatiness of the lamb. Delicious!

What temperature should you cook lamb to?

Everyone’s got their own idea of when lamb is done to perfection. Here are the temperatures you should aim for, based on each level of doneness.

Rare: 48-54°C (120-130°F)
Medium–rare: 54-60°C (130-140°F)
Medium: 60-66°C (140-150°F)
Well-done: 66-74°C (150-165°F

If you haven’t already got one, you should definitely invest in a quality meat thermometer. It’s a great tool to have if you regularly cook meat.

More amazing lamb recipes

Indian leg of lamb – if you’ve never had Indian leg of lamb, you’re in for a treat. It’s a spicy slow-cooked masterpiece!
Lamb sloppy Joes – the perfect party food, these bad boys are bound to impress your friends.
Lamb massaman curry – a heavenly Thai curry that’s hearty and intensely flavored, yet mildly spiced with cumin, bay leaves, star anise and nutmeg.
Lamb shish kebab – for those who doubt you can have a healthy kebab, here’s your proof. The perfect demonstration of healthy fast food with big flavors. Best of all, it’s really quick to prepare.
Slow cooker lamb shanks – this lamb steaks recipe is the ultimate Sunday lunch comfort food!
Smoked leg of lamb – just one mouthful of this amazing recipe will be enough to have you hooked. When it comes to taste, smoked meat is in a different league and this is the perfect smoked lamb recipe for smoking newbies and experts alike.
Lamb noisettes with rosemary sauce – when it comes to flavor pairings, few things go together like lamb and rosemary. Lamb noisettes are similar to lamb steaks, and this simple recipe is beautiful, elegant, full of flavor and very easy to make.

Competition Question: How would you prepare lamb leg steak?