Boneless Roast Lamb
Roast lamb may seem complicated, but it does not have to be. Here is an easy roast recipe that will win your heart and mouth in one bite. A herb marinade and honey mustard glaze make an impressive presentation to serve with family and friends.
Everybody should know how to cook a perfect roast. And it’s not just for special occasions anymore. Lamb is a tender, mild-tasting meat from young sheep.
Why make this roast?
- It is the simplest way to make roast lamb at home.
- And most of the ingredients are easy to find or simple pantry staples.
- There are three components to roasting this boneless leg of lamb.
- Marinade – The mixture is made with garlic, thyme, rosemary, and a few spices. It is so packed with flavor that it works with or without the long marinating time. By the way, this marinade is also perfect with pork or beef.
- Honey mustard glaze – Adding a honey mustard glaze gives a nice color to the lamb when roasting. And those charred dark spots don’t just look good; they also taste amazing.
- Gravy – This gravy, made with red wine or broth, is like none other because it has all those wonderful lamb drippings.
- Also, this is the perfect roast to serve on special days such as Easter dinner, Thanksgiving, or Christmas.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Lamb – Boneless lamb shoulder or leg is readily available these days. If not, ask your butcher, and I’m sure he will be happy to debone it for you. Read more about cuts of lamb.
- Garlic – I’ve used a few large cloves both in the marinade and to dot into the lamb.
- Paprika – For me, smoked hot paprika is the way to go. A little bit of heat works wonderfully for this lamb dish.
- Honey – Gives us that caramelization and color that makes it more appetizing.
- Red wine – Is used in the gravy, but you can omit the wine and use additional vegetable stock instead. You can also use white wine in this recipe.
- Herbs – Fresh is the way to go with lamb recipes. Must-haves are fresh rosemary leaves and fresh thyme, as well. But you can also use dried herbs like oregano and fresh herbs like parsley and mint. In fact, you can also serve the lamb with mint sauce instead of gravy.
- Mustard – Is used in the marinade and the glaze. It is a wonderful flavor with lamb.
Step-by-step: Boneless roast lamb
- Trim the fat – Use a pairing knife and trim excess fat from the boneless lamb. Then, pat it dry with a paper towel and set it aside.
Pro tip – If the lamb is wet, the marinade will slide off the meat as soon as it starts cooking. And if the meat is frozen, ensure that it is thawed at least an hour before marinating.
- Make the marinade – In a bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients.
- Marinate – Generously rub the marinade mixture all over the lamb, inside and around. Then, leave to marinate for 15 minutes on the counter while you preheat the oven, or overnight in the fridge.
Pro tip – Do not use aluminum bowls to marinate meat, as it can cause oxidation. Also, I like to place a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme inside the meat for a longer marination time. - Honey mustard glaze – In a small bowl, combine the honey and mustard and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/ 375°F Gas Mark 5 for at least 20 minutes.
Pro tip – If you marinate the meat for a longer time, thaw it for an hour or two before roasting.
- Tie – Roll the lamb and tie it with butcher’s twine (see video). Place the lamb in the roasting pan on the rack. Add a cup of water to the roasting rack.
Pro tip – The water will prevent the dripping from burning in the pan. You can add more fresh herbs, such as thyme and rosemary, to the roasting rack. - Roast / Glaze – Transfer the roast to the oven on the middle rack. Roast for 30 minutes. Then, brush with the honey mustard glaze and insert an oven-safe meat thermometer in the middle of the thickest part of the meat.
- Roast – Continue to roast in the oven for about 50 to 60 minutes or until the internal temperature on the instant-read thermometer reaches the desired doneness.
- Medium rare – between 130°F and 135°F, approximately 20 minutes per pound
- Medium – between 135°F and 140°F, approximately 22 to 23 minutes per pound
- Medium well – between 145°F and 150°F, approximately 25 minutes per pound.–
- Well Done is between 155 and 165°F, or approximately 30 minutes per pound.
Pro tip – My roast took about 1 hour and 50 minutes to get to medium rare.
- When it reaches the desired doneness, remove it from the oven. Move the lamb to a serving platter and cover it with aluminum foil. Then, let it rest for at least 20 minutes to help the juices settle.
Gravy
- Deglaze – Place the roasting rack with the pan juices on medium-low heat with the water, and use a flat spatula to deglaze the pan.
Pro tip – Scrape as much as possible, but avoid the burnt parts. And, add any pan drippings that may have cooled as the lamb is resting. - Thicken – Then, add the flour and continue to cook until it thickens. Strain the gravy through a sieve or mesh and discard the rest. Pour the gravy into a sauceboat and serve it with the lamb.
- Lamb Shanks, Lamb Roast Shoulder Boneless
- Instant Pot Lamb Curry or Indian Dum Lamb Biryani
- Slow Cooker Lamb Curry Recipe
Frequently asked questions
How long will this roast lamb keep?
The boneless leg of lamb will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze it for up to a month.
Should I sear the lamb before roasting it?
No. The honey does a good job of giving the meat a nice color, so we don’t need to worry about searing this roast.
Do I need a meat thermometer for this roast?
I personally prefer to use a meat thermometer, so I don’t have to calculate and watch the clock every so often. But you can certainly do without it. However, if you are new to cooking or roasting meat, a thermometer can take the guesswork out. The most important point is to insert the thermometer needle into the deepest part of the thick meat.
What side dish can I serve with lamb?
Try a side of potatoes, like mashed potatoes, lemon rosemary roast potatoes, lemon dill potatoes, and potato wedges. Rice pilafs and pilaus are perfect with slow-cooked meats, such as quick vegetable pilaf or fragrant rice with fruit and nuts. And if you are looking for a low-carb alternative, try cauliflower rice. Other sides could be:
Quick garlic sesame asparagus or Garlic Parmesan asparagus,
Swiss chard patties, corn fritters, leek potato patties
Sesame green beans, sauteed broccoli, sauteed asparagus
Oven-baked butternut squash or Oven-baked carrot sticks
Salads – carrot salad, avocado salad, cabbage salad,
See all side dish recipes
Boneless Roast Lamb
Roast lamb may seem complicated, but it does not have to be. Here is an easy roast recipe that will win your heart and mouth in one bite. A herb marinade and honey mustard glaze make an impressive presentation to serve with family and friends.
Video
Ingredients
- 4 – 5 lbs (2 kg) Leg of lamb boneless
- 1 cup (240 ml) Water
Marinade
- 8 cloves Whole garlic cut into thick slices
- 2 tbsp Rosemary leaves chopped finely
- 2 tbsp Thyme leaves chopped finely
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp Black pepper
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Mustard paste
- 6 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 tsp Siracha smoked hot or sweet
- 2 tbsp Olive oil I used extra virgin
Honey mustard glaze
- 2 tbsp Honey
- 2 tbsp Mustard paste
Gravy
- ½ cup (120 ml) Water
- 1 tbsp All-purpose flour or gluten-free
Method
- Trim the fat – Use a pairing knife and trim excess fat from the leg of lamb. Pat it dry and set aside.4 – 5 lbs Leg of lamb
- Garlic – Dot the fat side of the lamb with pieces of garlic cloves. You can also use rosemary along with garlic.8 cloves Whole garlic
- Make the marinade – In a bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients.2 tbsp Rosemary leaves, 2 tbsp Thyme leaves, 1 tsp Kosher salt, 1 tsp Black pepper, 2 tbsp Lemon juice, 1 tbsp Mustard paste, 6 cloves Garlic , 1 tsp Siracha, 2 tbsp Olive oil
- Marinate – Generously rub the marinade mixture all over the lamb, both inside and all around. Let it marinate for 15 minutes on the counter while you preheat the oven or overnight in the fridge.
- Honey mustard glaze – In a small bowl, combine the honey and mustard and set aside.2 tbsp Honey, 2 tbsp Mustard paste
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/ 375°F Gas Mark 5 for at least 20 minutes.
- Tie – Roll the lamb and use butcher's twine to tie it together (see video). Place the lamb on the roasting pan on the rack. Add a cup of water to the roasting rack.1 cup Water
- Roast / Glaze – Transfer the roast to the oven on the middle rack. Roast for 30 minutes. Then, brush with the honey mustard glaze and insert an oven-safe meat thermometer in the middle of the thickest part of the meat.
- Roast – Continue to roast in the oven for about 50 to 60 minutes or until the internal temperature on the instant-read thermometer reaches the desired doneness. – Medium rare – between 130 F to 135 F, approximately 20 minutes per pound – Medium – between 135 F to 140 F, approximately 22 to 23 minutes per pound – Medium well – between 145 F to 150 F, approximately 25 minutes per pound.– Well Done is between 155 to 165 F, or approximately 30 minutes per pound.
- When it reaches the desired doneness, remove it from the oven. Move the lamb to a serving platter and cover it with aluminum foil. Let it rest for at least 20 minutes to help the juices settle.
Gravy
- Deglaze – Place the roasting rack with the pan juices on medium-low heat with the water and use a flat spatula to deglaze the pan.1 tbsp All-purpose flour, ½ cup Water
- Thicken – Then, add the flour and continue to cook until it thickens. Strain the gravy through a sieve or mesh and discard the rest. Pour the gravy into a sauceboat and serve with the lamb.
Notes
- Butterflied boneless lamb – The leg of lamb can be butterflied by the butcher; if not, you can do it yourself by using a sharp paring knife. First, make a center cut over the bone, then trim around the bone until you can remove it from the center.
- Both the shoulder and leg of lamb are very similar hard-working muscles and would need the same cooking method and temperature. You can also see my recipe for lamb shoulder in red wine sauce.
- Roasting the lamb – Place the lamb on the roasting rack, fat side up, uncovered. This will give a nice crusty brown color on the outside.
- Temperature for roast lamb – I like to cook the lamb at a temperature of 190°C/ 375°F Gas Mark 5. But you can also start at a higher temperature of 400F/200C/Gas Mark 6 for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350F/177C/ Gas Mark 4 for the remaining cooking time.
- Internal temperature for roast lamb – I cook my lamb medium rare to about 135 F using a meat thermometer. But you can also do it without a thermometer and cook it to your desired doneness. Here’s a guide you can use.
- Medium rare – between 130 F to 135 F, approximately 20 minutes per pound
- Medium – between 135 F to 140 F, approximately 22 to 23 minutes per pound.
- and Medium well – between 145 F to 150 F, approximately 25 minutes per pound.
- not really my favorite – Well Done is between 155 to 165 F, or approximately 30 minutes per pound.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
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The honey glaze made this lamb incredible! It was so much easier to make than I thought it would be!
I have never made lamb before. The honey mustard glaze sounds delicious, and so universal! Thanks for the share!
Roasted lamb is the main dish for all of my winter holidays, and we usually cook it with just lots of rosemary, garlic and allspice. I tried this recipe with the honey mustard for something different and it was delicious!
Roast lamb is one of my favourite things ever, and your recipe is so good! Thank you so much for sharing, I am definitely making this again 🙂
Thank you for the lovely feedback, Cathleen. Happy you enjoyed this recipe.
The marinade is what makes this recipe so much better than the other ones I’ve tried. So much flavor in the honey mustard….hands down the best recipe I’ve ever tasted for roasted lamb.
Thank you so much for the lovely feedback, Amanda. Happy you enjoyed this recipe