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Brined Leg of Lamb (Iceland)

Source of Recipe

Nanna


Recipe Introduction

St. Thorlak´s Leg of Lamb (Þorláksmessulærið) I´ve named the following recipe for our national saint, St. Thorlakur (Þorlákur helgi) for no other reason than that I always serve a version it at my annual "open house" buffet on St. Thorlak´s Day (23rd Dec). This dish is always very popular and this year´s version was even more praised than usual. ~Nanna

List of Ingredients

1 leg of lamb (5-6 lbs)
4 quarts plus 1 cup of water
1 1/4 cup coarse salt
1/3 cup sugar (heaping)
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. black peppercorns
6 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks
10 cloves
1 Tbs. oil
6 bay leaves

1 tsp. dried thyme
Freshly ground pepper


Recipe

Mix water, salt, sugar, cayenne pepper, peppercorns, bay leaves, cinnamon and cloves in a large pan and bring to the boil.
Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool completely.
When the brine is cold, place the leg of lamb in a suitably large nonreactive container, pour the brine over it and weigh it down.
Refrigerate for two to three days, turning once or twice each day.
Then remove the meat from the brine, pat it dry with kitchen towels and let stand at room temperature for half an hour.
Preheat the oven to 265°F. Rub the lamb with the oil, then with a mixture of thyme and freshly ground pepper.
Place it on a rack above a roasting pan and roast for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until done.
Allow to rest at least 20 minutes.
Serve warm or let cool and serve at room temperature, cut in thin slices.