Charleston Wine & Food – Lambs & Clams Contest – Tennessee Whiskey & Sorghum Brined Leg of Lamb

To brine lamb:
1. In a tall non-reactive stockpot, combine all of the ingredients, except for the ice water. Bring to a boil over high heat.

2. Reduce heat and cook for about 5 minutes, being sure that the salt and brown sugar have dissolved and that the spices are incorporated. Remove from the heat and add the ice water. Stir.

3. Refrigerate until the mixture is cold. If you can make it early in the day, it will be chilled by the evening, or let it chill overnight.

4, Add the leg of lamb to the brine, making sure it is completely submerged in the liquid. Leave in the brine for 24 to 36 hours (I kept it in for 36 hours). Remove the lamb from the brine and pat dry with paper towels.

For marinade:
1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl until blended.

2. Put the lamb in either a vacuum seal bag or a large ziplock bag. Pour the marinade in the bag ensuring is is equally distributed over the leg of lamb.

3. Either vacuum seal the bag or seal the bag tightly. Place the bag in a glass dish for four hours, occasionally redistributing the marinade, if it is in a ziplock bag.

4. When ready to cook the lamb, remove it from the bag, tie up any loose pieces of the lamb leg with kitchen twine so the meat will cook more evenly, and place the lamb on an oiled rack in a shallow roasting pan. Let it sit at room temperature while pre-heating the oven.

To prepare lamb:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Baste the lamb with the marinade once before placing it in the oven. Cook at 450 degrees for 20 minutes.

3. Remove the lamb from the oven. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees. Baste the lamb again and return to oven at reduced temerpature.

4. Roast lamb at 325 degrees for approximately one more hour (10-12 minutes per pound), basting one or two more times, until the marinade is gone. You want to cook the lamb until the temperature registers approximately 130 degrees (on an instant read thermometer) in the thickest part of the leg. * It may take longer to cook since you need to open the oven door once or twice when basting the lamb. Remove the lamb from the wire rack and let rest before slicing.

For Mint Julep Sauce and/or Jelly:
1. Combine whiskey, sorghum, apple cider vinegar, rosemary, and coriander in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. Simmer over a low to medium heat until mixture is reduced to about 1/2 cup (5 -10 minutes). Taste for seasonings. Remove from the heat. While the sauce is still hot, place cheesecloth with fresh mint sprigs in the sauce and infuse the mint flavor. Leave for a few minutes, until desired amount of mint flavor has been imparted.

3. Strain mixture through a fine sieve or cheesecloth and place the strained mixture into a small, clean saucepan. If you are making the sauce, you can bring the sauce to a low boil and begin to thicken with cornstarch (removed and blended with a little of the sauce), to desired consistency, stirring constantly to keep smooth. My sauce was the consistency of a demi-glace.

4. If you would like to make the Mint Julep Jelly, you will need to add a small amount of Ultratex 8 and combine with an immersion blender, until desired consistency. It will take a few minutes to thicken so add very small amounts at a time and blend thoroughly before adding any additional thickener. It will also thicken a bit more once is sits for a few minutes. You do not want to use too much of the Ultratex.

* I took a small amount of the original sauce and made the Mint Julep Jelly from that, which still left enough sauce to use with some of the lamb. You will not need more than a drizzle of sauce or a dollop of jelly to serve with the meat.

For Geechie Boy Grit Cakes with Sweet Grass Dairy Georgia Gouda:
1. Combine chicken broth and milk in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Slowly add the grits, stirring constantly with a whisk so they do not clump together. Make sure the mixture is thoroughly blended and smooth.

2. Reduce heat so that grits are on a low simmer. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes, until thickened. Check and stir periodically to prevent scorching.

3. Remove from the heat and add one tablespoon of butter and the grated cheese. Stir until the butter and cheese are melted and thoroughly blended. Taste for seasonings and add salt and white pepper, if desired.

4. Butter an 8-inch square glass dish. Spread grits eveninly into the dish and cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent forming a tough skin. Place in the refrigerator for several hours until mixture is cold and firm (you can prepare a day ahead).

5. When ready to cook the grit cakes, loosen the firm grits from the pan and turn out onto a cutting board (alternatively, you may cut them directly from the pan). Use a 3 1/2-inch biscuit cutter to cut out four grit cakes.

6. Place a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat. Melt the butter (enough to coat the bottom of the pan) in the skillet until it is no longer foaming (you may want to turn down the heat to medium, depending on your range). Place the grit cakes in the pan and cook several minutes until brown on one side. Turn the grit cakes and cook until brown on the other side, a few minutes more. You may need additional butter to cook the second side of the grit cakes. Serve warm with the lamb and Mint Julep sauce or jelly.