To expect a recipe to work?

Thanks sweetcakes, I don't know what has happened to the BBC recipes but it has gone all "funny" on me and won't let me save either... Is it just me or has anyone else noticed? I get a very large photo of the chef and the recipe is all over the place - sometimes it works fine but I think that may be when I don't sign in... I used to be able to save the recipes to my laptop but can't do that now without a copy and paste and then move the stuff about!

Sorry that should be idea!!!

PS happy St David's day to all us Welsh

Can I suggest you may also need to check the oven is actually reaching the correct temperature. I have two ovens, the bigger one is always 5-10 degrees below what is indicated, no ides why.

Not being a meat eater I bought a meat thermometer in one of Aldis bargain days.
It is very useful for my jam and chutney making.

Unrealiable recipes Gransnet HQ? Doesn't your spell check work?

My boys bought me a meat thermometer, never used it though. I have found many recipes and meat from supermarkets with cooking instructions that just are not long enough, and OH does like his meat cooked till as dry as a bone, ugh. Jane, the Cordon Bleu magazines started, I think, in the mid-sixties, only bought half of them, still got them though!

We use a meat thermometer as I find some of the chefs do insist on too short a time cooking. I dislike blood on a plate and in restaurants produce a barricade of condiments and flowers so that I can't see DH's blue steak. Sainsbury's do a blackface lamb which is very good. Tender and tasty.

The fashion is now for meat to be less well done than in the past, and one person's 'pink' is another's raw (eg mine). I was brought up to be terrified of undercooking meat esp chicken or turkey by my mother who was quite phobic about it. Found it difficult to ignore her voice in my head until the blessed day recently when I bought a meat thermometer. Can't tell you how liberating it is! Now I have the security of knowing it's safe to eat without cremating it.

I've just ordered some milk fed lamb.
Now I'm having second thoughts and wondering if I'll be able to actually eat it, I'm imagining the lovely little things gambolling about and am feeling so guilty.
I keep telling myself if we don't eat it, someone else assuredly will.

Oops!

clematisa, I've given it a thread all of it's own.

clematis, I've posted it on a thread all of it's own.

I can't abide undercooked meat. I watch "Come dine with me" and I'm horrified at some of the almost raw meat they serve. Often the cook will say "I'm not going to ask them how they like their meat". I think that's just daft.

Just like Sweetcakes, I do a rack of lamb with a crust - sear/brown the whole thing first and let it cool, then lightly smear on some Dijon mustard and pat the herby crust into that. (I don't like mustard as a rule but Dijon is not too hot). Then 30 minutes in a hot oven and leave it to rest for 10-15 mins somewhere warm before cutting it up into cutlets. This comes out pinkish but not bloody; if it's a bit rare I put the cut-up cutlets back in the oven for 5 minutes which generally does the trick.

Some of Sainsbury's joints say "this joint will cook in --- minutes". I always find they need longer, like the pork I had yesterday. It said 1hr 20m but when I carved it the middle didn't look quite done. Resorted to shoving it the microwave for another five minutes. I expect it is all to do with the variation of oven temperatures. I tend to do a bit lower heat for longer so that I don't cremate it!!

Clematisa have you tried bbc good food online they have thousands of recipes and you can save them too

How do I find the recipe kittylester?

Its my husbands favourite dish rack of lamb, I get a rack of about 7 cutlets score the fat sear it all over not forgetting the ends I do it in oven proof frying pan, paint the scored fat with French mustard put herb crust on and pop it in a hot oven 200 degrees for about 25 minutes pink in the middle but not raw

I've posted the recipe on a new thread in case anyone is interested.

I like my lamb pink but I do like it to be cooked.

Depends on the oven temperature given. You might have just got away with it (by today's ideas of eating lamb rare ) if it had been very high. Like, seared on the outside, bloody in the middle.

Strangely, my younger GS loves his meat done like that. The bloodier the better for him.

kitty the recipe sounds lovely (provided the lamb is cooked to at least 'pink') - could you post the recipe please?
I'm a hoarder of recipes too. I have a cupboard full of old recipe books that I can't bear to throw away, the entire Cordon Bleu magazine series that was probably published in the 70's, a large file of recipes that I've tried and liked (many with the name of the recipe donor) and another large file of recipes Waiting To Be Tried Out.
If you post the recipe I'll be able to file it as 'KittyLester's Lamb with a Pesto Crust'

Oh lamb - greasy and grim!

purpledaffodil Paul Holywood's topping also contained orange juice.

I used full fat Philadelphia cream cheese purpledaffodil. Couldn't get proper cream cheese in any of our local shops, including Waitrose. We'll have to try Mary Berry's recipe next time.