Preparing an oven-roasted leg of lamb is an art form, a culinary symphony that tantalizes the taste buds and leaves a lasting impression. Embark on a journey through flavors as we explore the intricacies of this timeless dish. From selecting the perfect cut of lamb to mastering the techniques of roasting, discover the secrets to creating a succulent and tender masterpiece that will delight your senses and leave your guests clamoring for more.
Here are our top 13 tried and tested recipes!
ROASTED LEG OF LAMB
Roasting is a popular cooking method for a reason. See our step-by-step guides to Preparing a Leg of Lamb and Carving a Leg of Lamb at the Table.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Meat & Poultry Lamb Recipes
Time 2h30m
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- For the cleanest-looking presentation, trim 1 1/2 inches of flesh from the shank bone with a sharp paring knife. (Your butcher may be willing to do this for you.)
- The fell is a thin outer layer of fat that you may find if you buy an untrimmed leg from a butcher. It's very tough, so it's important to remove all of it. A long knife with a sharp thin blade is the best tool for the job.
- Trim the excess fat that lies beneath the fell, but leave enough to enrich the meat and gravy. It also crisps up nicely when broiled, which helps give the carved slices great texture. Use shears to trim the fat pads around the hip, or large end.
- Make incisions 1 inch long and 1/2 inch deep all over the leg; they?ll allow the aromatic rub to penetrate the meat more easily. Roughening the surface in this way also results in a crisper, more flavorful crust after broiling.
- Stir together salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary, mustard, and oil in a small bowl until it forms a wet paste. Spread rub evenly over lamb, working it into the incisions. Let lamb sit at room temperature, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Transfer lamb, fat side up, to a large roasting pan fitted with a rack, and add broth. Roast lamb 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees, and roast until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of flesh near the bone reaches 130 degrees to 135 degrees (medium-rare), about 55 minutes. Increase temperature to broil; broil until surface sizzles and becomes brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer lamb to a platter or carving board; let rest at least 20 minutes before carving.
ROASTED LEG OF LAMB
Steps:
- Pat lamb dry and score fat by making shallow cuts all over with tip of a sharp small knife.
- Place garlic, parsley, mint, lemon zest and juice, salt, pepper, and oil in a food processor and process until smooth. Rub the paste all over the lamb and place in a lightly oiled roasting pan. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Roast lamb in middle of oven for 20 minutes, reduce heat to 350, and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted 2 inches into thickest part of meat (not touching bone) registers 135 degrees F, about 1 3/4 hours.
- Transfer to a cutting board and let stand 15 to 25 minutes (the internal temperature will rise to about 145 degrees F for medium). Slice the meat against the grain and serve with pita.
ROASTED LEG OF LAMB
Provided by Alex Guarnaschelli
Categories main-dish
Time 4h35m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Place the lamb on a sheet pan covered with foil. In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard, white wine, garlic, salt, black pepper, and thyme leaves. Stir to blend and rub all over the lamb. Cover and place it in the refrigerator to marinate for a few hours or overnight, turning the lamb over from time to time and recoating it with the marinade.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Remove the lamb from the marinade and season on all sides with salt, pepper and olive oil. Reserve the leftover marinade for later use.
- In a roasting pan fitted with a roasting rack place the lamb, fatty side up, on the rack and place it in the center of the oven. . Having the leg elevated off the bottom of the pan will allow for more even roasting. At 425 degrees F, the roast should start to brown fairly quickly.
- After 25 to 30 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. I usually count between 12 to 14 minutes per pound of meat (including the weight of the bone) for a roast. When the oven heat is lowered, count about 30 to 40 minutes and then check the inner temperature of the thickest part of the roast with an instant-read thermometer. Cook it to about 130 degrees F. The meat, once it "rests" will be a nice medium rare. Remove the roast and turn it fat side down onto a flat surface to rest. Resting the lamb on the opposite side will help to redistribute the juices. Note: Save the pan drippings.
- Place the roasting pan on the stove over medium low heat. Add the reserved marinade, dry sherry and 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard. Whisk together and simmer until thick. Transfer the sauce to a gravy boat and serve with lamb.
- Slice the lamb (against the grain) and serve family style.
ROASTED LEG OF LAMB
This recipe is so good yet it doesn't require too much time, effort or ingredients. It's easy & fool-proof, even for you first-timers!
Provided by Chungah Rhee
Categories entree
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil. Using paper towels, pat lamb dry. Using a sharp knife, score the top side of the lamb by making shallow cuts all over. In a small bowl, combine garlic, olive oil, rosemary, thyme, Dijon, salt and pepper. Place lamb, fat side up, on a rack in the prepared roasting pan. Spread garlic mixture evenly over the lamb, rubbing in thoroughly into the scored cuts. Place into oven and roast until it reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees F for medium, about 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes, or until desired doneness. Let rest 15 minutes before slicing. Serve immediately with mini hasselback potatoes.
ROASTED LEG OF LAMB (BONE IN)
Lamb prepared this way needs no extras for flavor. It is delicious. If you wish, however, you may serve it with Greek lemon sauce or mint jelly. After the initial high heat of 450°F, you may reduce the cooking heat to 350°F as in this recipe or to 325°F, adjusting the cooking time accordingly. Lower temperature makes the lamb even more tender; however, some people find it too mushy when cooked at that temperature so prefer 350 degrees. At 350°F is is still tender and very tasty. If you are cooking less than a 5 pound leg of lamb, do the math and adjust the cooking time and it should come out finished at that time. Insert an instant read thermometer to be sure the meat is done and aim for 130-140°F.
Provided by ChefWhiz
Categories Lamb/Sheep
Time 1h15m
Yield 10 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Mix rosemary, salt, and pepper in small dish.
- Rub half of spice mixture over larger end of leg of lamb.
- Slice 2 large garlic cloves into about 15 to 20 slivers and mix with remaining spices in bowl.
- Cut 15 to 20 small slits in leg of lamb and place spiced garlic cloves into the slits.
- Rub 3 tablespoons olive oil over the surface of the leg of lamb.
- Place on rack in center of roasting pan and place in preheated oven.
- Cook for 15 minutes at 450°F and then lower heat to 350°F for rest of cooking time of 1 1/4 hours (or, alternatively, lower heat immediately and cook at 325°F for adjusted cooking time).
- Remove from oven and test with instant read thermometer inserted into thickest part of leg; consider lamb done at 130-140°F (temperature will rise about 5 degrees out of oven).
- Cover with aluminum foil and let rest 10-15 minutes.
- Slice into thin slices and serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 493.7, Fat 34.7, SaturatedFat 13.7, Cholesterol 152, Sodium 594.7, Carbohydrate 0.5, Fiber 0.1, Protein 42.2
CHEF JOHN'S ROASTED LEG OF LAMB
I've done more than a few lamb dishes dedicated to Easter, but inexplicably have never posted one for a whole leg of lamb. It's such a classic Easter menu option, and, when prepared using this method, makes for a very user-friendly hunk of meat.
Provided by Chef John
Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Lamb Leg
Time 10h20m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Stir 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses, garlic, rosemary, kosher salt, black pepper, Aleppo pepper, mint, and cumin together in a bowl.
- Arrange the butterflied leg of lamb onto a work surface with the fatty side facing down. Cut 2 deep slashes in each of the the fleshy ends of the meat. Flip the lamb and cut 10 to 20 shallow slashes across the surface of the fat.
- Spread 3/4 the pomegranate molasses mixture onto the meat-side of the lamb to coat completely. Fold meat together and turn into a large bowl. Spread remaining pomegranate mixture over the fatty side of the meat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 hours to overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place a roasting rack in the bottom of a roasting pan.
- Remove lamb from marinade and discard excess marinade. Gather roast and place onto a work surface with fatty side facing upwards. Tie the center section of the roast with kitchen twine to cinch the roast together. Repeat ties four times along the length of the roast.
- Season roast with salt and transfer to prepared roasting pan. Pour water below the rack to cover the bottom of the pan.
- Roast in the preheated oven until hot and slightly pink in the center, about 1 3/4 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 135 degrees F (57 degrees C). Rest for 15 minutes, transfer to a plate, and brush with remaining pomegranate molasses.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 344.4 calories, Carbohydrate 5.8 g, Cholesterol 115.3 mg, Fat 20.6 g, Fiber 0.4 g, Protein 31.9 g, SaturatedFat 8.6 g, Sodium 823.5 mg, Sugar 4.7 g
ROAST LEG OF LAMB
A simple recipe with sensational flavor! I've adopted this recipe as it didn't have a loving owner. I have made it myself though and must say it makes an impressive sunday roast! Instead of using dried rosemary, you can also use fresh sprigs and insert them into the cuts with the garlic slivers.
Provided by -Sylvie-
Categories Lamb/Sheep
Time 2h10m
Yield 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Remove lamb from refrigerator 1 hour before roasting.
- Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C/Gas 6.
- Make small slits just large enough for garlic slivers evenly in the leg of lamb, and insert the garlic slivers.
- Rub all over with lemon juice, then pat the rosemary and black pepper evenly over the surface. Sprinkle with salt to taste. If you're using fresh rosemary, just insert the sprigs with the garlic slivers into the cuts you made.
- Place lamb, fat side up on a rack in an uncovered pan.
- Roast 30 minutes to a pound or until the internal temperature reaches 175-180°F, for meat well done. If you prefer slightly rare lamb, roast until 160-165°F.
- When done, remove from oven, cover the roast in foil and allow it to rest for 20 minutes before carving.
- If you also want delicious rich gravy, place a 1 1/2 cups of lamb or beef stock in the bottom of the pan before you put the lamb in the oven, making sure that the rack sits above the liquid and the meat doesn't touch it. You can also add a sprig or two of rosemary to it and if you want baste the lamb a couple of times while it's roasting. Just before serving bring the liquid to a simmer on the stove top, making sure you whisk it well and scrape all the bits from the sides and the bottom of the pan. If you want more gravy you can add some extra stock or some of the water you have cooked your vegetables inches Mix 1tbsp of cornflour with 2tbsp of water and whisk it into the stock. Simmer until thickened and you have a wonderful gravy.
SLOW ROAST LEG OF LAMB
If you're slow-roasting lamb, it comes out so tender you don't need a knife to cut it. And when I say slow, I mean slow - 7 hours. And I am roasting the leg of lamb in the oven, not in a slow cooker. Tastes great served with Dauphinoise potatoes or mashed potatoes and vegetables.
Provided by cornishbird
Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Lamb Leg
Time 7h25m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
- Place carrots and garlic in a roasting pan large enough for the leg of lamb. Place lamb on top. Pour in wine and lamb stock. Place roasting pan on the stove and heat over medium-low heat until liquid is boiling. Cover the roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil, using oven mitts to protect your hands, and place in the oven.
- Roast in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) for medium, about 7 hours. Remove from the oven.
- Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Transfer lamb into a second roasting pan.
- Roast lamb uncovered until skin is crispy, 15 to 20 minutes. Let rest before slicing.
- While lamb is resting, pour cooking juices from the first roasting pan into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer until reduced into a gravy, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 474.3 calories, Carbohydrate 10.2 g, Cholesterol 137.2 mg, Fat 12.1 g, Fiber 0.6 g, Protein 63.7 g, SaturatedFat 4.8 g, Sodium 1589.6 mg, Sugar 1.1 g
ROAST LEG OF LAMB
Cooking peeled potatoes in the pan around the roast is yummy. The only other things you need are gravy made from the pan drippings and a fresh vegetable.
Provided by MBENHAM
Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Lamb Leg
Time 2h10m
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Cut slits in the top of the leg of lamb every 3 to 4 inches, deep enough to push slices of garlic down into the meat. Salt and pepper generously all over the top of lamb, place several sprigs of fresh rosemary under and on top of the lamb. Place lamb on roasting pan.
- Roast in preheated oven until the lamb is cooked to your desired doneness, about 1 3/4 to 2 hours. Do not overcook the lamb, the flavor is best if meat is still slightly pink. Let rest at least 10 minutes before carving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 381.8 calories, Carbohydrate 0.4 g, Cholesterol 136.1 mg, Fat 25.3 g, Fiber 0.1 g, Protein 35.8 g, SaturatedFat 11 g, Sodium 136.3 mg
ROASTED LEG OF LAMB
Provided by Tyler Florence
Categories main-dish
Time 1h20m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place a large roasting tray into the oven to heat it up. When hot remove from oven and add a drizzle of olive oil. Toss potatoes, fennel and garlic onto hot sheet tray and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place into oven on a lower rack.
- Take the boneless leg of lamb and open it up. Season inside with olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Rub with garlic and thyme then make a cut down the middle, separating the lamb into 2 pieces where the muscles naturally separate. Roll each piece up into a small roast and secure with kitchen twine. Rub the outside with olive oil and season with porcini powder, salt and pepper.
- Set a large pan over high heat and add a 2-count of olive oil. Sear meat, turning the lamb to brown evenly all over. Once browned transfer the roasts to the oven and place directly on a rack above the fennel and potatoes.
- Roast for 35 to 40 minutes until lamb is medium-rare. Rest meat for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with roasted potatoes and fennel.
OVEN-ROASTED BONELESS LEG OF LAMB
I purchased a leg of lamb roast from the store recently but had no idea on how I'd cook it. After reading ideas here on Allrecipes, I came up with my own marinade. While I made this in a conventional oven, it could also be made in a slow cooker on the slow setting for 7 to 8 hours time). Hope it's a hit! There was enough marinade left that I threw it over some chicken tenders for tomorrow's dinner.
Provided by Robertjm
Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Lamb Leg
Time 10h50m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, lime juice, garlic, mint, oregano, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, white pepper, and salt together in a bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate marinade at least 1 hour.
- Pierce lamb in multiple places evenly over the lamb; place into a gallon-sized freezer bag. Pour marinade over the lamb, squeeze excess air from the bag, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator 8 hours to overnight.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Prepare a shallow roasting pan with cooking spray.
- Remove lamb from marinade; shake to remove excess liquid. Reserve 2 tablespoons marinade; discard remainder.
- Place lamb in the middle of the prepared roasting pan.
- Combine potatoes and carrots in a large bowl. Pour vegetable oil and reserved marinade over the vegetables; toss to coat. Arrange vegetables around the lamb. Cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil.
- Roast lamb in preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 140 degrees F (60 degrees C), about 80 minutes. Remove foil and continue cooking until firm and meat is hot and slightly pink in the center, about 10 more minutes. Rest lamb 10 minutes before cutting to serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 557.9 calories, Carbohydrate 23.6 g, Cholesterol 69.1 mg, Fat 42.1 g, Fiber 4.1 g, Protein 21.5 g, SaturatedFat 9.4 g, Sodium 178.4 mg, Sugar 3.5 g
EASY ROAST LEG OF LAMB
This is an easy leg of lamb recipe that has been a family tradition for years around the holidays. Very little prep work required, however patience is a must.
Provided by BOER_S
Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Lamb Leg
Time 1h30m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Rub the leg of lamb all over with salt and pepper. Use a small knife to make punctures in the lamb about 1 inch apart. Press slivers of garlic into each hole so that they are about 1/2 inch below the surface. Place the meat in a roasting pan. You can either remove the rosemary from the stalk and sprinkle and rub into the meat on all sides, or you can simply use the string from the lamb to secure against it. Pour the can of tomato sauce over the whole thing.
- Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, then lower the temperature to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C), and continue roasting until the internal temperature of the meat is at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C), about 15 minutes. If you want the meat well done, wait until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F (75 degrees C).
Nutrition Facts : Calories 500.4 calories, Carbohydrate 8 g, Cholesterol 200.7 mg, Fat 28 g, Fiber 2 g, Protein 52.2 g, SaturatedFat 13.5 g, Sodium 1220.4 mg, Sugar 4.2 g
EASY ROAST LEG OF LAMB
Roast a leg of lamb for a family feast. It's ideal served with roasties and your favourite spring vegetables for an Easter dinner or Sunday roast
Provided by Anna Glover
Categories Dinner
Time 2h
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Remove all packaging from the lamb and keep a note of the weight to calculate the roasting time. Make incisions into the lamb using a small sharp knife, at an angle, about 5cm into the meat. Making the holes at an angle will mean more of the meat is flavoured, and the flavourings will be less tempted to be pushed out when roasting.
- Insert a short sprig of rosemary, a garlic slice and a small piece of anchovy (if using) into each of the holes, pressing in well with your finger. Season the meat all over with salt and pepper, then rub the lamb all over with the olive oil. Transfer to a roasting tin, sat on the onion slices. Roast for 20 mins.
- Lower the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and cook for another 15-20 mins per 500g (1 hr - 1 hr 20 mins for 2kg leg) depending on how pink you like your lamb. You can also check the internal temperature of the lamb if you prefer pinker meat - it will be 55C for medium (pink) and 70C for well done.
- Cover with foil and rest for 15 mins before carving. Save the tray juices and onion slices to make gravy.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 473 calories, Fat 27 grams fat, SaturatedFat 11 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 7 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 5 grams sugar, Fiber 3 grams fiber, Protein 48 grams protein, Sodium 0.26 milligram of sodium
Tips:
- Choose the right cut of lamb: For roasting, a leg of lamb is a great option. It's a large, flavorful cut that can be cooked in a variety of ways.
- Prepare the lamb properly: Before roasting, trim off any excess fat and pat the lamb dry with paper towels. This will help the lamb to brown evenly and prevent it from becoming greasy.
- Season the lamb generously: Use a variety of herbs and spices to season the lamb, such as rosemary, thyme, garlic, and pepper. You can also add a marinade to the lamb to infuse it with even more flavor.
- Roast the lamb slowly: Lamb is a tough meat, so it needs to be cooked slowly and gently. Roast the lamb at a low temperature (325 degrees Fahrenheit) for several hours, until it is tender and cooked through.
- Let the lamb rest before carving: Once the lamb is cooked, let it rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. This will help the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, making it more tender and flavorful.
Conclusion:
Roasting a leg of lamb is a delicious and impressive dish that is perfect for a special occasion. By following these tips, you can ensure that your lamb is cooked to perfection and enjoyed by all.
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