Crying Lamb

Crying lamb is a very old dish with its roots in many different countries and cultures, though today it is considered to be a classic French recipe, named agneau qui pleure or gigot d’agneau pleureur. It is also known as seven hours lamb or agneau de sept heures because some people like to cook it nice and slow for seven hours. It is believed it was a dish shared by many people who cooked in community ovens. Some food historians also suggest it may have been a simple, early “grandmother’s recipe,” perhaps originating from an oversight where a piece of meat was left to cook for an extended period in the embers of a fireplace.

The unique cooking method involves placing the meat on a rack above a bed of vegetables (often potatoes or a gratin) in a sealed pot or casserole dish (a luted casserole, sealed with a paste of flour and water). The “tears” or “crying” in the name refers to the meat’s juices and fat slowly dripping down onto the vegetables below during the long, slow cooking process, flavoring them and keeping the meat moist.

Crying Lamb

I did not cook my lamb for seven hours, but I did marinate it overnight, which made it very tender and full of flavor.

4-5 lb lamb leg or roast

8-10 garlic cloves, sliced very thin

salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

2/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup lemon olive oil, optional

1/3 cup lemon juice

2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary, cut into small pieces

2-3 sprigs fresh tarragon, chopped

2 lbs new or yellow potatoes, sliced thin

1-1 1/2 sticks butter, sliced into pats

1 onion, sliced very thin

1 cup water or broth – You can use either chicken or beef broth

Pat the lamb roast dry with paper towels. Remove the excess fat, while still leaving a little fat around the lamb roast. With a sharp serrated knife, cut deep slats or pockets all over the lamb. Generously season the lamb with the salt & pepper and pat it down. Insert the garlic slices and the rosemary sprig cuts into the slats.

Combine the olive oil(s), tarragon, lemon juice and more salt & pepper and whisk together. Pour it over the lamb, cover and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to cook the lamb, remove it from the refrigerator about an hour before cooking it, then get a large skillet VERY hot. Add enough olive oil and butter into the skillet to sear the lamb on all sides, without it burning or sticking. Cook each side of the lamb for about 4-5 minutes per side, or until a nice crust has formed all around.

Preheat the oven to about 400*F or 200*C.

Line a deep baking pan with aluminum foil (for easier cleaning purposes) and either spray the foil with cooking spray and/or add dollops of butter to the bottom.

Slice the potatoes into thin slices and place in a single layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Add dollops of butter onto the potatoes and repeat once again. Season with salt & pepper and drizzle olive oil on top.

Add more butter pats and the sliced onion. Add the of water or broth.

Place a rack directly over the potatoes, then place the lamb on top of the rack, cover tightly with aluminum foil and place in the center of the oven.

Roast until the lamb reaches an internal temperature of about 135-140* F or 58-60*C., or about 2 hours. Remove the foil after about 1 1/2 hours to let the roast brown some more and crisp up. Allow the lamb to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing it.

The lamb comes out so tender and juicy and the potatoes are crispy on the outside and velvety on the inside. In a word – PERFECT!.

This was a definite favorite. Lauren absolutely loved the lamb cooked this way. You will too. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.