Richard's ~JA~ wrote:

> First off, thanks for being here with always good advice. I'm roasting=

> a 3.23 lb. leg o' lamb today, and I've just put it in a 400 degree oven=
,
> immediately turning the oven fdown to 350.=20

Fairly standard technique. Makes for a good coating.

> If it matters, the lamb is
> slathered with fresh minced basil, fresh minced terragon, dried garlic
> and onion crumbles, peanut oil, fresh lemon juice, sea salt and cracked=

> pepper; all of which I will later baste with.=20

Probably too much complexity for lamb. Basil and tarragon are too=20
subtle. Lemon juice too pungent. Peanut oil is ok, but I'd still opt=20
for olive. Why dried garlic when fresh will provide a fuller, rounder=20
flavor. What are onion crumbles?

Here's one place where tried and true recipes work best. Oil, garlic,=20
rosemary...

> I finally bought an
> instant read meat thermometer, where comes my need for help. I'm
> thinking that for medium rare I should remove the lamb from the oven at=

> a temperature of 135, letting it sit for about the ten minutes I will b=
e
> heating up leftovers of pattypan squash and roasted red spuds with frie=
d
> onions. Will my imagined temperature of 135 degrees when removing from=

> the oven for a final of medium rare be correct?

No. The meat will continue to cook with residual heat. The finished=20
temp will be more than 140=B0F. You don't say if it's boned ot not. If=20
bone-in, the thin meat at the bone will be overdone by a good bit. Id=20
pull it at 127=B0 - 130=B0 and let it rise to 135=B0 - 138=B0F.

Medium-rare means a warm *red* center. Medium is a warm *pink* center.

Pastorio