Leg at 82 degrees: Barbecue

Weight tells age: smaller legs are younger and milder. The largest roasting joint: leaner than shoulder, with a cleaner slice when cooked to medium. Bone-in for flavour, boneless butterfly for the grill. This is the Easter and Eid centrepiece in much of the world. Aitchbone removed makes carving trivial; ask the butcher to tunnel-bone it.

Colour, sinew, where the fat sits, and thickness are what you check before you pay. Ask for the thickness that matches “Barbecue.” Use 82 degrees and 82 when you cook. Salt after you know the job. Do not play with undercooked meat. At the counter, read the use on Leg before the photograph. 82 degrees is the internal heat, “Barbecue” is the dish, and 82 is the stage of the fire. Marbling alone does not split stew from grill. A probe in the thickest part beats the clock. Tent with foil while resting.

At the counter, read the use on Leg before the photograph. 82 degrees is the internal heat, “Barbecue” is the dish, and 82 is the stage of the fire. Marbling alone does not split stew from grill. A probe in the thickest part beats the clock. Tent with foil while resting. A cut’s grain comes from how much the muscle worked. Leg needs heat through to 82 degrees before “Barbecue” makes sense. 82 is a stage of that heat, not a luxury score. The same cut becomes a stew, a grill, or a braise, so a steak minute does not cover a pot. Thick connective tissue wants time, not a hard sear alone. This is not medical advice.