I am not really a coffee drinker but I do like the smell of coffee and I enjoy coffee flavoured deserts. When I came across this recipe for roasted lamb in a coffee sauce on Cook Sister! I was intrigued. I had never had coffee in a savoury dish and I just had to try it. It was also the perfect excuse to enjoy some more lamb! I was able to pick up a small, already boned and tied, leg of lamb from a local butcher which made things much easier than they could have been. I also had to pick up some coffee beans as I had never had need of them before. The recipe was nice and easy and required very little effort and the results were spectacular! The coffee sauce tasted amazing! The lamb was perfectly cooked with a golden crust and it was a nice medium rare in the middle. The coffee sauce went really well with the lamb and the mustardy crust on the lamb was nice and tasty. I served the roasted lamb in coffee sauce with some harissa roasted squash and some steamed green beans with a tahini and yogurt dressing .
Roasted Lamb in Coffee Sauce
A tender roast leg of lamb served in a tasty, creamy coffee sauce.
ingredients
- 1 small (1-2 pound) leg of lamb, deboned and tied
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup strong black coffee
- 1 tablespoon cream
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon brandy
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
directions
- Rub the salt and pepper onto the lamb.
- Spread the mustard on top.
- Heat the coffee, cream, sugar and brandy until the sugar has dissolved.
- Place the lamb in a roasting dish and pour the coffee mixture over it.
- Roast in a preheated 375F/190C oven for 20 minutes, basting a few times.
- Turn the heat down to 325F/170C and roast until it reaches a temperature of 130F, about 20 minutes.
- Let the lamb rest for 15 minutes.
- Pour the juices into a pan along with the chicken stock and heat until bubbling.
Anonymous says
I have always been scared to try lamb – thinking it may have a gamey taste. Does it?
That sauce looks amazing Kevin!
Mrs Ergül says
look at that lamb! how nicely done! my husband doesn’t take coffee too but coffee cake works for him. hopefully roasted lamb in coffee sauce will be just as good to him!
Kevin says
biz319: Lamb does have a stronger taste to it than say chicken, pork or beef and I really enjoy it.
Ginny says
I love it! 🙂 I’m addicted to coffee…I’ll need to try it as a savory sauce!
Paula says
Wow, lots of yummy flavors going on here! I’ve had a roast with a coffee crust, but I think I’d prefer your sauce. Gotta love that lamb … I’d even enjoy it with the yogurt sauce!
Passionate About Baking says
I love new lamb ideas Kevin…& this is REALLY NEW!! Never would associate coffee with savoury, lamb being far from it. Love how you served it…YUM!! Jeanne does have some great recipes on her blog!
Elra says
Isn’t Jeanne amazing cook? This one is one of the many of her delicious recipe. Yours look divine Kevin.
Cheers,
Elra
Cathy - wheresmydamnanswer says
I love Lamb and am intrigued by the coffee sauce – what a wondeful compliment to such a great dish!!
Lorraine @NotQuiteNigella says
Oh wow, very intriguing! This is such a must try dish methinks! 😛
Nina Timm says
I had a good chuckle reading your post. Many years ago my mother found a recipe for coffee pork chops….it was a disaster and to this day those chops are a family joke. This lamb however good redeem the use of coffee in our home.
PaniniKathy says
The coffee sauce sounds really intriguing! I don’t think I’ve had coffee in a savory dish before either (although maybe I have and just didn’t know it). Your lamb was cooked to perfection.
Rosa's Yummy Yums says
Ooohh, what moist looking meat! Cooked to perfection! And that sauce… Interesting and delicious!
Cheers,
Rosa
MeetaK says
how wonderfully unique. i’ve had a chocolate sauce with meat but never coffee! a great idea!
Marie says
I don’t drink coffee either, but your photos have me intrigued. That lamb looks perfectly done and the sauce looks fabulous! How wonderful! We love lamb and I may give this a try!
chriesi says
Yesterday I had my first lamb and your coffee sauce makes me want to eat my second. 🙂
pigpigscorner says
Looks really juicy and yummy! And that coffee sauce sounds really interesting. Not a big fan of coffee but I like the aroma.
Christelle says
I’m very intrigued and tempted to try that sauce with lamb, very unusual combination indeed. Your lamb was cooked to perfection, lovely!!!
Jeanne says
Yaaay! I’m so glad you tried my recipe Kevin! When you first read the recipe you think “this will never work!”, but as they say the proof of the pudding’s in the eating 🙂 Glad you loved it as much as I did. Have a fab weekend!
Theresa says
Now I love coffee. I’m addicted to coffee and these would suit me just fine!
Melissa says
Ooooh, I love Lamb, its one of my favorite things in the world. And coffee sauce…that’s a neat one. 🙂
rusalina says
I will have to try this recipe, it looks fantastic. Kevin, I really like your blog, as well as the results I get when trying your recipes 🙂
I made your stuffed portabella mushrooms many times and each time I scored big points with my guests. I will continue to read and try your recipes, as well as read your blog daily. Thank you,
Rusalina
Sylvie says
That sounds like a really interesting flavour combination and I love lamb.
Anonymous says
Kevin, that picture is making my mouth water! You really knocked it out of the park with this post.
I, personally, just love lamb – and coffee! And I’m thinking of giving making it for the next time I have company. Thanks for the delicious post.
Joanne says
As a certified coffee addict, I must say that I will be trying this soon!
Jenn Sutherland says
Like you, I’m not a coffee drinker, but love the smell. This lamb dish looks *amazing!* I’m definitely bookmarking this one, for the next time I get a leg of lamb or shoulder roast from our meat CSA!
Gorgeous pic, as always!
Mike of Mike's Table says
I love a roasted leg of lamb, and this is a really interesting sounding sauce that never would have crossed my mind. It looks delicious!
Maria says
You always have the best recipes and photos!
Manger La Ville says
Wow, this seems very intersting, the sauce looks beautiful, nappe which is the perfect consistency. What did you think of the combination, did it work for you. Is the coffe really intense or more subtle?
mikky says
the coffee sauce sounds so intriguing… 🙂
Sophie says
That dish looks so amazing! I will try this one!
A nice picture! the lamb looks so succulent!
Thanks, my friend!
The Duo Dishes says
Well we’re not coffee people either, and we’ve never had it on lamb. But if chocolate can spice up a mole, then why not coffee!
Cynthia says
I would have never thought to pair coffee with lamb (because they both can be strong flavors), but this looks great. How interesting! I might have to try this myself.
Mary says
Kevin, I love lamb with coffee sauce. One of the folks who taught me to cook was Swedish and she shared her recipe with me. Your recipe looks delicious.
Natashya says
That does look heavenly. I love coffee, but never think to use it for savoury applications.
Alexa says
This recipe is so unusual. I’m intrigued and will have to try it soon on my family. Thanks Kevin!
Hayley says
Coffee sauce? Sounds interesting. I too hate coffee, but love the smell and coffee ice-cream, might have to try this out.
Tien says
Hi, Kevin,
The lamb looks lovely. I will have to post my lamb chop recipe soon from Delilah’s Everyday Soul cookbook. I keep forgetting to pick up lamb chops. Anyhow, the “Year of the Ox” Chinese year is coming up on Jan 26th. Are you interested in cooking a duck? I have never roasted one but will attempt it for the New Year.
Cheers, Tien
Brilynn says
I’m in the same boat, I don’t usually drink coffee, but I like it in other things. This lamb sounds great!
DocChuck says
My wife and I are NOT big on lamb. Native Southern folks in the USA generally do not eat lamb — that is a New York City thing.
But, in the Southern USA, we DO drink a lot of coffee — in fact, we LOVE our coffee, although not the Starbucks type of ‘coffee’ — that’s another NYC type of concoction.
So, your recipe caught my eye, and with a bit of reluctance, we are going to try it with an open mind.
Thanks for sharing a fascinating recipe.
diva says
thanks for this recipe! a coffee sauce sounds very daring but i’m excited about giving it a go one day.
Dawn says
I’m not a fan of lamb but I had to say that I just love this coffee sauce! I’m a huge lover of sauces.
Karen says
I can’t find lamb in the small town where we live and I just love it. I bet the coffee sauce was just perfect on this. I’m going to have to look into where I can buy some lamb!
Jude says
Sounds interesting, and that lamb looks perfectly cooked.
Jeff says
I love coffee sauces/dry rubs with red meat. Looks and sounds amazing.
Parker says
I love the flavor of lamb, what a unique sauce. It must be a nice compliment.
Jan says
I love lamb, and like the idea of your mustardy crust, but I’m not sure about the coffee sauce. Still, if you say it’s good I believe you.
[eatingclub] vancouver || js says
Looks like I have found a new way to cook lamb. Your lamb looks perfectly medium rare.
noobcook says
I am intrigued by the sound of a coffee sauce too… the lamb is perfectly roasted!
MrsDocChuck says
Wow!
We had no idea that lamb was so pricey!
Now that we are on a fixed income, this recipe is out of the question.
Perhaps we’ll make chicken thighs with coffee sauce sometime, though.
Indonesia-Eats says
Kevin, this is really a great recipe. Nicely done roasted with coffee aroma.
Judy says
I love lamb and this dinner sounds amazing — everything I like!
dan says
It looks yummi.
I’m really hungry now.
http://www.chickenrecipedepot.com
Bridget says
South Africans love lamb! My mom taught me her trick with roast lamb and it works every time. I put the leg into a low oven, frozen solid, in the morning. It roasts slowly throughout the day & is absolutely delicious by an early dinner time, although we do not like our lamb quite as rare as yours is pictured. I sprinkle the frozen roast with garlic powder & ground rosemary. Yum! I'm intrigued by your recipe though – I may have to give it a try for Easter dinner.