During cooking, meat juices are driven toward the bone, moving away from the heat, and if carving occurs too soon after cooking, while the juices are still concentrated near the bone, the resulting slices will be tough and stringy. LAMB Holding the knife blade perpendicular to the bone and with the leg of lamb resting on its side, cut slices from the butt end, steadying the joint by grasping the shank bone in a kitchen towel. Continue slicing the lamb perpendicular to the bone, or against the grain, until the tip of the bone is reached. Rotate the lamb so that the meatiest part faces up and slice it against the grain, leaving the slices attached at the bone. When several slices have been cut, turn the knife blade parallel to the bone and away from you and sever the slices from the bone in a continuous sawing motion.
Slices become rarer as they are cut from the center of the roast.
Steadying the joint by grasping the shank bone in a kitchen towel, cut a thin slice from along the narrow edge closest to the bone. This will allow the lamb to rest flat while it is being carved. Starting at the shank end, make 2 cuts at angles against the grain and remove the V-shaped piece of meat formed by them. This establishes the angle at which the meat will now be carved. Slice the lamb through to the bone, following the established angle, and every 3 or 4 slices back up and sever them from the bone.