Gordon Ramsay’s lamb breast is three boned breasts stuffed with dried oregano, chilli flakes, lemon zest and two full jars of anchovies, rolled tight, browned in a casserole, then braised in white wine and tinned tomatoes at 170°C for 2 to 2½ hours. He calls it “gutsy cooking at its absolute best” in the video.
In Ultimate Cookery Course, Ramsay says “breast of lamb is a fatty cut that needs slow cooking, but it can be just as rewarding as the more expensive choice cuts.” In the video, he adds: “I fell in love with this dish years ago when I first started working in Paris, because we had all the lamb in from the Pyrenees.”
The anchovies are the ingredient nobody expects. They melt completely inside the rolled lamb during the braise. Ramsay says “they almost melt inside the lamb, so the balance of flavours work beautifully.” No fishy taste. Just a deep, salty richness that makes a cheap cut taste expensive.
Gordon Ramsay’s Lamb Breast
Course: DinnerCuisine: British, MediterraneanDifficulty: Medium6
servings20
minutes2
hours30
minutes993
kcal170
minutesSlow-braised stuffed lamb breast from Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Cookery Course, Episode 14. Boned breasts stuffed with anchovies, oregano, chilli and lemon, braised in white wine and tomatoes for 2½ hours. A dish Ramsay fell in love with while working in Paris. Approximately 993 kcal per serving.
Ingredients
- For the Lamb:
3 lamb breasts, bones and skin removed
1½ tbsp dried oregano, plus a pinch for later
1½ tbsp dried chilli flakes, plus a pinch for later
Zest of 2 lemons
2 x 90g jars anchovies, drained
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the Braise:
Olive oil for frying
1 onion, peeled and sliced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 tbsp capers
200g (7 oz) pitted black olives, e.g. Kalamata, drained
1 x 750ml bottle dry white wine
1 x 400g tin whole peeled plum tomatoes
Directions
- Preheat the oven: Set it to 170°C (340°F) / Gas 3.
- Season and stuff: Open out the lamb breasts on a board. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Scatter the oregano, chilli flakes and three-quarters of the lemon zest over the fleshy side. Arrange the anchovies equally over each breast.
- Roll and tie: Starting at the smaller end, roll each breast into a tight sausage shape. Tie with string at each end and once in the middle.
- Brown the lamb: Heat olive oil in a large casserole dish on the hob. Fry the rolled breasts for about 3 minutes until browned all over. Remove and set aside.
- Build the sauce: In the same pan, add the onion and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes until soft. Add a pinch of chilli flakes, a pinch of oregano, the remaining lemon zest, capers and olives.
- Deglaze with wine: Pour in the white wine, scraping up any bits from the bottom. Boil for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bring back to the boil. Return the lamb and baste in the sauce.
- Braise: Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 2 to 2½ hours until the meat is tender. Baste and turn the meat often.
- Slice and serve: Remove the string. Slice thickly. Skim any excess fat from the sauce, then spoon the tomatoes, olives and onions over the lamb.
FAQs
Why does Ramsay use anchovies in lamb breast?
He uses two full 90g jars, not a few fillets. In the video he says “they almost melt inside the lamb, so the balance of flavours work beautifully.” The anchovies dissolve during the 2½-hour braise and leave behind salt and umami without any fishy taste.
It’s a pattern across his books. His lamb shoulder in Great British Pub Food pushes anchovy halves into slits before roasting. Different cut, different method, same principle: anchovies make lamb taste more like lamb.
Why braise in tomatoes instead of stock?
Ramsay says “braising it in tinned tomatoes instead of stock” in the headnote. The tomatoes break down over 2½ hours and create a thick, rich sauce that clings to each slice. Stock would give you a thinner liquid.
The capers and olives add sharp, salty bursts through the sauce. In the video, Ramsay fries the capers until they’re “exploding at the bottom of the pan” and “nice and crispy” before the wine goes in. Ramsay says serve with mashed potatoes and buttered kale. The smooth mash soaks up that tomato and olive sauce.
Can you stuff the lamb a day ahead?
Ramsay says “try to stuff the breasts a day ahead as it helps to tenderise the meat even more” in the book. The salt from the anchovies and the acid from the lemon zest work into the meat overnight.
In the video he confirms: “the nice thing is they can be done the day before.” Roll, tie and refrigerate. Next day, brown and braise straight from the fridge. The extra time makes a noticeable difference.
Why does Ramsay use dried herbs instead of fresh?
He attaches a specific note to this recipe: “I would never use dried herbs to finish a dish, but they can work well in a slow braise, where they will naturally rehydrate and flavour the meat.” Dried oregano holds up over 2½ hours where fresh oregano would turn bitter.
He also warns “never use as much as you would fresh, as the flavour can be very concentrated.” The recipe uses 1½ tablespoons of dried oregano, which is roughly equivalent to 4 tablespoons of fresh.
What is the difference between stuffed breast and stuffed saddle?
Completely different dishes. This breast is a cheap, fatty cut braised slowly for 2½ hours in tomatoes and wine. Ramsay’s stuffed saddle is the expensive cut: spinach, pine nuts, feta and sumac, roasted for 45 to 55 minutes until pink.
In the video, Ramsay calls saddle “the Rolls-Royce cut.” Breast is the opposite. His lamb shanks follow the same principle: a cheap cut braised for hours in wine until the meat slides off the bone. Shanks use red wine and spice. Breast uses white wine and tomatoes. Both prove that cheap cuts braised slowly give results that expensive cuts can’t.
