Lamb Breast (aka Lamb Belly)

About This Lamb Breast Recipe

Lamb breast is a part of the forequarter of the animal and contains the lower parts of the ribs, the breast plate and the belly. It has an oblong shape, with layers of fat and lean meat. The outer side is covered by fat and the inner side contains a flap of rich tasting meat. 

The fatty cut, which is also known as lamb breast plate or lamb belly, can be seen as the equivalent of a whole side pork belly that still contains the pork spare ribs.

It sits right underneath the shoulder and the rib rack and ends at the flank, underneath the loin. Naturally, there are two lamb bellies per animal. Sometimes the term lamb brisket is used to refer to the cut because it contains the largest breast muscles, the pectorals.

Lamb Breast vs Lamb Ribs vs Lamb Belly

To reiterate the information presented earlier, lamb is such a small animal that the terms lamb breast and lamb belly are used interchangeably to reference the cut that comprises the breast plate and the belly. 

Lamb ribs are cut from the lamb breast. The breast plate is placed bone-side up and then its bottom portion and the sternum are removed by way of cross cuts, leaving a nicely shaped rack of lamb ribs.  

Is Lamb Breast a Good Cut of Meat?

The meat of a breast of lamb is tough, contains connective tissue and a significantly higher percentage of fat than other cuts. It is richly flavored and can finish very tender when prepared properly. Expect lamb belly to be greasier than lamb ribs even after most of the fat has rendered during cooking.

Cooking Lamb Breast: Step-by-Step Instructions

The workflow is very straight forward, you just have to perform the steps as shown in the image sequences below. For ease of use we separated them in stages.

Step 1 - Prep. Bring your breast of lamb to room temperature and preheat the oven to 300F. Pat dry the meat and if not split as shown above, either use sharp scissors to do it yourself or select a long enough baking sheet (or shallower roasting pan) in which the whole lamb breast fits. 

Next, you need to prepare the lamb belly for the slow cooking part of the recipe. We strongly recommend that you follow the steps illustrated below in order to achieve fall-off-the-bone tender meat.

Trim the excess fat from the lamb breast. Turn it over so the meatier side faces down. With a tip of a knife lift the translucent membrane that helps hold the ribs. Hold it with paper towel so it won't slide and peel it off entirely.

• Next, place the lamb breast onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Season with kosher salt and black pepper only, on both sides, and position with the meaty side up.
• Cover it with another parchment paper sheet and tightly wrap with aluminium foil, just as shown in the image grid below. Place it in the oven and slow roast for 2 hours.

This style of wrapping the lamb breast plate for slow cooking in its own juices offers the advantages of the meat not drying out, an easier clean up and most importantly - when the meat is sandwiched between two sheets of parchment paper they create a barrier from the aluminum foil.
In that way there is no danger of aluminium seeping into the meat. If aluminium comes in contact directly with seasonings on the surface of meat it can penetrate into it.

Step 2 - Make the paste for the crust. Right before the lamb breast has been in the oven for two hours make the paste.

Blend chopped kalamata olives, garlic, thyme, parsley, extra vigin olive oil and lemon juice. Once a rough paste is formed, fold in red pepper flakes to taste. Set aside.  

Step 3 - Finish slow roasting. After two hours of cooking time have passed check the lamb breast for tenderness. Carefully unwrap the foil and lift the top parchment paper. The bones should be substantially exposed and the meat very tender. If not satisfied with the tenderness, wrap again, return to the oven for another 20 minutes and check once more.

Otherwise, brush the meaty side with the paste. Return to the oven uncovered and roast until a crust forms on top. Remove from the oven, rest onto a cutting board then slice between the ribs. 

The lamb breast is done when the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender and an appetizing crust has formed. 

There is absolutely no need to take internal temperature. While the lamb is resting you can cover it loosely with foil to keep it warm. 

Serve the Slow Roasted Lamb Breast Plate 

Lamb belly, slowly roasted as shown above, is very rich and filling and therefore two to three ribs per person are the ideal portion. Very enthusiastic lamb lovers will likely defeat four ribs with ease.

Plan on having side dishes that can absorb or stand up to the fattiness and strong taste such as:

• fresh greens salads with feta
• fresh spinach salads
• garlic green beans 
• roasted potatoes 
• boiled potatoes with parsley
• sauteed broccolini
• pan-fried asparagus

Other Flavors That Work for This Breast of Lamb Recipe

The paste offered above is exceptional in terms of the collaboration of its ingredients. But if you want to try a different flavor profile, consider the options below.

Taste of the Orient. Make a dry lamb rub with spices like cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon and black pepper. Start with a teaspoon of each and add more of whatever spice you feel needs to be more emphasized, to taste. Instead of brushing with the paste, simply season with the spice mix, generoulsy. 

Rosemary Dijon mustard paste. Prepare the paste from this recipe for Grilled Lamb Leg and brush it over the lamb breast. 

Moroccan Chermoula. Make the sauce from this recipe for Lamb Lollipops but do not thin it out with water so it stays pasty. Brush it on the lamb. 

Hoisin BBQ sauce or Sticky Honey Garlic sauce. Prepare either one of the sauces from this recipe for Lamb Ribs and use it to brush over the lamb breast.

Leftovers - Storage and Reheating

Leftover lamb is best stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a small roasting pan or baking sheet at 300 F oven temperature.