Learn To Make A
1:12 Carved Lamb on Platter
with Linda Cummings

Close-up image of materials needed

Enlarge picture of material requirements

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1. First we will make up the mixes you will need for your leg of lamb.

Enlarge picture showing the materials that you need to begin
2. Basic Red Meat Mix
Take a ½” (1.27cm) ball of Bordeaux red, ¾” (1.91cm) ball of brown and ¾” (1.91cm) translucent. Combine all three colors and mix well. You can use your pasta machine to hurry this process, otherwise knead well! Once completed, set aside.

Enlarge picture showing how to make the red meat mix




3. Ham Pink Mix
Now take 2-parts white, 2-parts translucent, 1-part brown, ½ part bordeaux then mix together well.

Enlarge picture showing how to make the pink meat mix




4. Fat Mix
Take the translucent, white and ochre clays in ratio of ¾ translucent, ¼ white and a small amount of ochre. Mix well. Don’t worry if all the ochre doesn’t completely combine, as the visible surface will be covered with pastels and the bones will be appear more realistic!

Enlarge picture showing how to make the fat mix
5. Roll out the mixture.

Enlarge picture showing the rolled out clay
6. Now we need to make the central bone since this needs to bake while we make up the meat!
Begin by cutting a small amount from your red meat mixture to use as the centre (marrow) of the bone. Cut a piece 2½ times larger than the fat mix. Roll the red mix into a fat log, then roll out with a roller or pasta machine (set on highest setting). Your fat mixture should cover the log.

Enlarge picture showing how to make the central bone
7. Trim at the join so there is no overlapping then check that you do not have air bubbles in the roll.

Enlarge picture showing how to join the two pieces
8. Now roll the log between your fingers to produce a thin log. You may find it easier to keep cutting the log, if it becomes unmanageable in length!

Enlarge picture showing how to make the cane shape
9. Cut 1-piece 1cm (a little less than a ½") in length and 2 smaller lengths, 2-3mm (0.07"-0.12"). Carefully roll one end to a point. Use your pin to make a hole in the non-pointed ends. Carefully transfer the rolls to your kitchen covered baking dish and bake for 10 minutes.

Enlarge picture showing the cut lengths
10. While the cane rolls are baking, take your red meat mix and cut about the same amount from your red meat mixture.

Enlarge picture showing how to create the red meat mixture




11. Marble the mixture together by rolling, then folding, then rolling again until the colours are lightly marbled. Shape into a short, fat log about ½" (1.27cm) in diameter.

Enlarge picture showing the marbling effect
12. Roll out your fat mix (setting 4-5 on your pasta machine) and pull gently to thin slightly. Cover the marbled mix with the fat mixture, as before to butt join the two pieces. Take your red mix and repeat the process.

Enlarge picture showing the wrapped meat mix




13. Your meat log is ready to lengthen and roll!

Enlarge picture showing rolled clay
14. Lengthen and thin your log by rolling. Then cut the log into equal lengths.

Enlarge picture showing the cut lengths
15. Now you need to begin pressing the logs together in as realistic a combination as you can!

Enlarge picture showing how to press the lengths together
16. Your pressed logs should look something like this.

Enlarge picture showing progress so far
17. Now you need to add the fat mix (rolled through pasta maker, setting 3) around the whole log.
You don't need to be too careful here, as I tend to tear and pull when I add this fat layer to achieve differing thicknesses.

Enlarge picture showing how to add the fat mix
18. Squeezing and pulling from the middle to the outer ends, lengthen the cane until it is around 10-12mm (½") thick. If you haven't taken your 'bones' out of the oven, do so now!

Enlarge picture showing how to lengthen the cane




19. Now you need to shape the leg. First cut a length from your meat cane, approx 25mm–30mm (1"-1¼") in length. Shape one end to a round point; moulding until you have a leg of lamb shape you are happy with.

Enlarge picture showing how to shape the leg
20. With a dental tool or pin, make a central hole in the longest of the three (3) bones. Then make two (2) holes in the thin end for the other two bones.

Enlarge picture showing where to make the holes
21. Dot the ends of the cooked bones with glue, insert the longer bone into the hole you made in the step above. Push the bone into the hole, then push the two smaller bones in the thin end. Tweezers are useful at this point to hold the bones! With the crumpled foil texture the fat surface of the joint until you have an effect you are happy with.

Enlarge picture showing how to bone and texture
22. Holding your joint very lightly, take your pin and use it to define the edges between the meat and fat. Gently pull the fat away from the meat. Then do the same with fat running through the meat.

Enlarge picture showing where to texture the meat edges
23. Next, use the pin to lightly mark diagonal lines across the meat areas and then diagonally in the opposite direction to simulate the fibres.

Enlarge picture showing additional texturing
24. Check the texture of the fat surface and if necessary, texture the surface a little more.

Enlarge picture showing where to texture a bit more
25. Colouring and Adding Texture
Check the texture of the fat surface and if necessary, texture the surface a little more. Retrieve your artist chalks, brush, and x-acto knife. Scrape ochre, brown and a bit of golden brown into separate piles of powder.

Enlarge picture showing how to use artist chalks
26. Starting with the ochre, lightly brush the colour over the surface of the lamb. Take care not to get any on the 'meat' face of the joint.

Enlarge picture showing where to shade with chalks
27. Repeat the step, except using the brown powder. Carefully build up the colour, without being too heavy handed with the colour. If desired, you can add a touch of the golden brown powder.

Enlarge picture showing where to shade with chalks
28. You now have a nicely roasted leg of lamb. Here you have the option of carving the shank or not. If you decide to not carve it, then bake for 30 minutes or according to the manufacturer's direction.

Enlarge picture showing where to carve




29. Now it's time to slice your joint!
Take your single sided blade and holding the joint very lightly, so as to not squish the shape, make a slanted cut (towards the front) at about 5-6mm (give or take ¼") up the joint.

Enlarge picture showing the carving




30. Then make another cut, carefully to the bone, in front of the first cut to loosen a thin slice. Using your dental pick, gently ease the slice away from the joint. Set to one side. Continue cutting two or three more thin slices. Make sure to expose the bone and ease away. Set aside as before. Pick out the detail on the now exposed cut surfaces.

Enlarge picture showing where to slice the lamb
31. Take the cut slices and flatten them on the tile with your finger. Texture the pieces as before with your straight pin.

Enlarge picture showing how to texture the slices
32. After you have flattened and thinned the cut slices, texture the surface as before with your pin. When satisfied with the pieces, ease the pieces off of the tile using your blade.

Enlarge picture showing how to texture the slices
33. Texture the inside pieces of the leg with your pin.

Enlarge picture showing how to texture the inside pieces
34. The slices are now ready to arrange around your joint on the platter.

Enlarge picture showing arrangement of leg joint and slices
35. Bake your leg of lamb & the slices for approximately 30-minutes according to the manufacturer's recommendation. After baking and cooling, garnish with vegetables of your choice!!

Enlarge picture showing garnished leg of lamb