In The Kitchen: Pulled Cola Beef Burgers and Herby Lamb Roast

This Easter was a celebration in our house: Liam finally got back from his time working away for 6 weeks which made the weekend extra special, and it's also my brothers birthday today so I cooked up a massive feast to feed the boys and for me and mother to indulge in. 

I bought a 2.25kg leg of lamb from Aldi for a mere £8 which was amazing so I would strongly recommend visiting Aldi for bargain roast meat finds (and the meat was delicious!) - it's a shame doggies can't have cooked lamb bones as I think Harvey would have been in heaven to have it! Waitrose is also a brilliant place to find special cuts of meat like beef brisket or marrow bones for a great price. It's all about shopping around and finding where the best and cheapest places are - this way you can have delicious gourmet food without breaking the bank! 

Without further delay, here are my two delicious and easy recipes for a great family or friends get together! These recipes feed 4/5 people. 

Pulled cola beef burgers

What you'll need:
0.5kg beef brisket
Tabasco Chipotle and Cola sauce
boiled water
For the burger:
5 brioche burger buns (you can get those from Aldi and they are DELICIOUS!)
4 gherkins
1 pot of coleslaw
2 beef tomatoes
4/5 lettuce leaves
1 red onion
250 grams grated cheddar cheese
selection of sauces to top the burger

Brown the beef in a hot pan - I didn't put any oil in mine, but instead placed the fatty side down first and let that oil the pan naturally. You only need about 30 seconds on each side - it's important not to overcook it at this point.

Once the meat is seared, place it into an overproof dish with a lid. I used this Tabasco Chipotle and Cola sauce which you can buy from your local supermarket as flavouring to cook in. Pour about 3/4 tablespoons of sauce over the meat - you can add less or more, depending on how intense you want the flavour to be.

Pour boiling water over the meat and make sure the meat is completely covered. Stir the sauce into the hot water, you start getting a saucy stock together.

Cover the pot with a lid and place in the oven at 170c for about 5 hours. On the packet it says 2/2.5 hours, however I find if you cook it for about 5 hours or more (just keep an eye on it to make sure the meat doesn't dry or burn) it becomes so soft that it just melts in your mouth.
Whilst the meat is cooking, use a large platter to make your burger station: brioche buns, thinly sliced gherkins, tomatoes and onions, spoonfuls of coleslaw, grated cheese and anything else you want to include!

Roast lamb with a zesty herb crust

What you'll need:
2.2kg leg of lamb
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
bunch of fresh thyme
3 fresh mint leaves
1 lemon
salt to season
olive oil

First you'll need to make your herby paste: in a cup, mix about 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the zest of one lemon and half a lemon juice, salt, thyme and mint. Mash this all together and use a cooking brush to spread the paste all over the lamb. I also score my lamb to ensure the flavours really get into the meat.

Slice half of the onion and cover your lamb with them like I did in the image above. Then cover the dish in cling film and leave to marinade for at least 30min - the flavours will develop and the meat will become soft and perfect for roasting.
Preheat the oven to about 190c, remove the cling film and replace with tin foil, then place the lamb in the oven to cook. A leg this size usually takes about 3 hours to prepare, but about halfway through, remove the tin foil and onions from the lamb (to ensure they don't burn and add a bitter taste to the roast) which this gives the lamb a crispy crust.

To go with my lamb I make roast potatoes with the lamb juices, steamed parsnips and carrots and spring veggies which are asparagus and cabbage with lemon and coriander butter. And of course, an all important red wine gravy!

Once everything is ready, plate up and let the feast begin! Everyone can dig into whatever they fancy and pick and mix what they're going to have - this is a delicious feast which can be made for any occasion! The cola beef is juicy and just falls apart in your mouth - it absorbs all of its own flavours and the flavours of the sauce, the tiny bit of cola makes it sweet and savoury. The lamb is tender on the inside and crispy on the outside, zesty and herby - just perfect. Top it off with a red wine gravy and you have the most incredible tasting lamb. 

I ate way too much but I have to say there wasn't much left after we all filled out bellies!