I'm a new owner of a Sous Vide circulator, and I'd really like to make a leg of lamb for Easter. Making leg of lamb the "old" way (in the oven) I always get a better result if the leg is with the bone attached. However, all the recipes I find for Sous Vide calls for meat without the bone (typically 55 C for up to 48 hours). Is there anything I need to do different to make it on the bone?
(My circulator is the drop-on kind and can handle 40 liters, so I can fit the leg. Also, I have vacuum bags by the roll, so as long as I can find a leg which is quite thin, that shouldn't be a problem either. I plan to sear the meat after Sous Vide with a propane burner)
UPDATE
Just wanted to say how it turned out: 55 C for 48 hours made the meat tender… VERY tender. Almost liquid 😉 I'll go for 24-30 hours next time 🙂
Best Answer
According to Kenji Alt's experiements (admittedly with beef), the major effect of the bone is insulation, which matters in a high-heat cooking environment, but not in sous-vide. See: Do Bones Add Favor To Meat
For sous-vide cooking, the bone adds little value, other than appearance.
It may also make it harder to put the product in your bag and seal it without a puncture.
Still, there should be no harm in leaving it on if you choose to. In his ultimate steak method, Kenji Alt does leave the bone on for the sous-vide process.