Rolled lamb belly: a flavorful and quick main course.
The rolled lamb belly is one of those recipes I love to prepare for Sunday lunch.
Lamb has a unique flavor and the belly, in particular, is an extremely tasty cut: although it is a relatively fatty part, it is precisely this characteristic that makes it so juicy and tender after cooking.
Often roasts are bought ready-made, but I much prefer the “do it yourself” approach.
Buying fresh lamb belly from a trusted butcher and seasoning it at home allows you to adjust flavors to your taste.
For this version I chose absolute simplicity, which in cooking is often synonymous with perfection: a generous chop of salt, pepper and rosemary.
A few ingredients that enhance the gamey taste of the lamb without covering it.
Smart pan cooking: tender inside, crispy outside
The true strength of this recipe is the pan cooking.
Often people think a roulade requires hours in the oven, but this technique is much faster and allows you to avoid turning on the oven (a real advantage if you have little time!).
My trick? Roll the meat in parchment paper for the first phase of cooking.
This creates a sort of “steam chamber” that cooks the meat evenly inside, preserving all the juices.
Only at the end do I remove the paper and proceed with an intense sear over high heat: the fat melts and the skin becomes deliciously crispy, creating an irresistible contrast with the soft heart of the roulade.
Whether for a celebration or a family Sunday, this main course proves that with a humble cut and a pinch of technique you can bring a true masterpiece of flavor to the table.
Approx. 730 kcal per person
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 1 Hour 20 Minutes
- Portions: 3 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients to make the Rolled Lamb Belly
- 25 oz lamb belly
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion (large)
- kitchen twine
Preparation of the Rolled Lamb Belly
Take the lamb belly as it is laid out, season it with salt, pepper and chopped rosemary, roll it tightly from the wider side and tie it with kitchen twine.
Wrap it in parchment paper, add 1 glass of water and let it cook covered over medium heat for about 40 minutes, or until the water has reduced.
When the liquid has reduced, move the roll, put 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan, add the chopped onion, return the roll to the pan but without the paper and brown everything until the meat forms a nice crust on the outside.
Take your time with the searing: partly because it needs to be monitored and partly because it can brown too much quickly.
During searing, turn the roll occasionally so the meat cooks well on all sides.
Once cooked, remove it from the pan, let it cool for a few minutes, remove the twine, slice it, return to the pan and warm for a few more minutes.
If the sauce has reduced too much, add a splash of water and once well heated serve hot.
