Why debone a leg of lamb? Well, if you're marinating it, deboning allows the flavours to penetrate further into the meat. It speeds up the cooking time and you can grill or braai it, or add a stuffing, roll it up and roast it. Most importantly perhaps, it makes carving much easier. The trick is finding the right seam to split the muscles and the meat from the bone. A flexible, sharp boning knife is ideal, and a sharp, smaller paring knife will complete the trick. Place the chopping board on a firm surface with a wet dishcloth underneath, so that the board doesn't slide around.

STEP 1: Turn the leg of lamb so the inside thigh faces you. Find the femur bone, and using a very sharp boning knife, cut along the seam that runs alongside the bone. Open out the meat along the seam to expose the bone.

STEP 2 Start working around the bone, cutting as close to it as possible so that you lose the minimum amount of quality meat.

STEP 3 Tilting the knife away from you under the bone, cut carefully through the meat to remove the bone.

STEP 4 Once the femur has been removed, cut around the hip joint and remove this bone, using the smaller paring knife. If the shank is still in the leg, remove and keep aside for soup or a braise.

STEP 5 Open the meat out and continue cutting along the seams to butterfly the leg completely. Trim any excess fat or sinew and then you are ready to stuff, roll and roast. Or simply season and grill.

ENTER CHEF OF THE YEAR 2012

THE CATEGORIES:

CHEF OF THE YEAR (first prize R50000, second R15000, third R5000) is open to professional chefs over 30.

YOUNG CHEF OF THE YEAR (first prize R20000, second R5000, third R2000) is open to chefs from 25 to 30.

JUNIOR CHEF OF THE YEAR (first prize R10000, second R2000, third R1000) is open to chefs under 25.

STALWART OF THE KITCHEN (first prize R10000, plus R1000 for each finalist) is open to cooks and chefs over the age of 35 who have never entered a competition. This is for those whose work forms the backbone of the kitchen. They do not need a professional qualification.

HOW TO ENTER:

. Entries must be received by September 14

. Finalists will be notified by September 21

. The finals will take place at Foodcorp's The 7th Floor in Cape Town, from October 2 to 4

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For full details, rules, guidelines, lists of required ingredients and entry forms, e-mail chefoftheyear@sundaytimes.co.za or visit www.facebook.com/sundaytimeschefoftheyear