Enjoy a whole, bone-in leg from these outstanding, pure breed Swaledale hoggets*; it’s a large enough roasting joint to feed a family for a few days, and the bone-in presentation will impress at a dinner party. Ultimately though it is all about flavour and texture, and in those stakes it doesn’t get much better than hogget cooked on the bone.

Chef George Ryle inspires:
“Whole bone-in leg of hogget is perfect when slow roasted to medium; seasoned well with salt and olive oil, and sitting on a bed of onions, garlic and rosemary. Initially in a hot oven, followed by a more gentle cook at about 140°C; the bone helps to keep the meat moist whilst also imparting an extra layer of flavour. Be sure to allow sufficient time for resting, which will make all the difference to the end product.

An interesting alternative could be to cook this in the Provençal style, or á la ficelle, by hanging the leg above a fire or BBQ for a very slow cook – the leg spinning on a piece of string to ensure a beautifully even cook.

With thoughts of Provence, then surely a ratatouille is on the cards. Layer thin, lightly salted, slices of courgette, aubergine and tomato atop a sauce of tomatoes, onions and peppers. Plenty of olive oil and bake in a hot oven, before garnishing with either fresh basil or oregano. Or rather some flageolet beans cooked with a mirepoix, lamb stock, wine and a couple of tomatoes. Bon appétit!”

*Hogget are yearling lambs, aged 12-24 months that are left to develop and fatten naturally on the rich, nutrient dense grass of the spring and summer months. Grown in the way nature intended, and left to mature at their own pace, hogget is a testament to the superior quality, taste and texture of native breed meat. The meat from a hogget sits nicely between that of lamb and mutton; with a more pronounced and evolved flavour than lamb but far more tender than mutton, it truly is fantastic meat to cook with. Leg of Hogget, Whole is Always Fresh Never Frozen®, butchered to order, vacuum packed, and shipped in recyclable packaging to arrive safely insulated and ready to enjoy.

Hogget from Harewood Estate & Wharfedale | Native Breed Meat