Roast Leg of Lamb

This roast leg of lamb is marinated with garlic and fresh herbs, roasted alongside baby potatoes, and finished with a delicious red wine gravy. The perfect dish to make for the weekend or when entertaining family and friends.

The leg of lamb is the upper part of the leg without the shank bone. The butcher will usually ask if you want it bone-in or no bone. Today, we are using bone-in. If you choose a boneless leg of lamb, you can still use this recipe, and yet the cooking time will need to be adjusted. That is why having a meat thermometer is very helpful.

Another great cut of meat to use for this recipe would be lamb shoulder. We made a delicious Roast Lamb Shoulder with red wine sauce. In fact, both of these recipes could be used interchangeably.

Table of Content

• Why make this recipe
• Ingredients and substitutes
• Roast leg of lamb
• Sides to serve with lamb
• Tips for success
• More lamb recipes
• Frequently asked questions
• You may also like
• Printable Recipe
• Join the conversation

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Why make this recipe

• This leg of lamb is marinated with wonderful herbs, including rosemary, oregano, and thyme. In addition, the garlic adds a punch of flavor while the paprika also adds a bit of color. We added some red wine to the gravy, but you can certainly use stock instead.
• I cook my lamb medium-rare, about 135 F using a meat thermometer. But, you can also cook 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.
  • or 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,   approximately 30 minutes per pound.
• I love to serve my roast lamb with roast potatoes or mashed potatoes. My kid's favorite is my rice pilaf with dried fruit and nuts. I love a side of salad such as my
• Cherry Tomato Mozzarella Salad, Cabbage Salad, Easy Celery Salad, Carrot Salad

Ingredients and substitutes

• Lamb -Today I am using a bone-in leg of lamb but you can also use lamb shoulder. You can use some other cuts for roasting as well. Learn more about cuts of lamb here
• Veggies - If you plan to cook veggies with your meat, it's always wise to use vegetables that will benefit from the long cooking process. Potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and turnips are excellent for such roasting. On the other hand, never use veggies like zucchini or tomatoes because they cook fast and release a lot of liquids. As a result, they tend to steam, rather than roast, the meat.
• Potatoes - I love using small roast potatoes because they really look elegant on the dinner table when entertaining. And, they also hold their shape well despite the long cooking.
• Fresh herbs - When making a dish like this, you want to make an effort to buy fresh herbs. It makes a huge difference. Having said that, if dried herbs are all you have, go ahead and use them. One tablespoon each would be a good measure to start. Adjust according to your preference.
• Paprika - I use this for color, but I also like a little bit of zing. You can use sweet paprika, and yet I often go for the smoked hot paprika.
• Red wine - If you like gravy and can consume wine, I highly recommend adding red wine to the gravy. Red wine pairs so beautifully with lamb.

Roast leg of lamb

Marinate

• Chop some fresh herbs - rosemary, thyme, and oregano - about 2 tablespoon each.
• In a mixing bowl, combine chopped fresh herbs, sliced garlic, paprika, lemon juice, and olive oil - Set aside.
• Wash clean and pat dry the leg of lamb. Season with salt and pepper.
• Rub the marinade with your hands all over the lamb.
• Leave to marinate for two hours up to overnight in the fridge.
• An hour before cooking - take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature.

Roast

• Preheat the oven to 390 F or 200 C for 20 minutes.
• Place the leg of lamb in the roasting pan surrounded by baby potatoes.
• Season with salt and pepper. Add some sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme.
• Insert the meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat, but without touching the bone.
• Place in the preheated oven on the middle rack.
• Immediately, reduce oven temperature to 320 F or 160 C.
• For medium-rare, roast until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 130 F to 135 F, which usually takes between 60 to 70 minutes.
• When the thermometer reaches your desired temperature, remove the lamb out of the oven.
• Loosely tent it with aluminum foil and let rest for at least 15 minutes before you cut into it.

Gravy

• Transfer the meat and potatoes to a serving platter.
• Place the roasting pan on medium-low heat.
• Add wine (or stock/water), and deglaze the pan by scraping with a spatula.
• Gather as much of the flavor as you can - add one tablespoon flour and cook until the gravy is thick.
• If necessary, add more water, so it's not too thick. Cook for another minute.
• Strain the gravy through a sieve and pour it into a gravy boat.
• Enjoy!

Sides to serve with lamb

• Roast potatoes or mashed potatoes.
• Festive rice pilaf with dried fruit and nuts,
• Salad - Cherry Tomato Mozzarella, Cabbage, Celery, Carrot Salad.
• Quick garlic sesame asparagus or garlic Parmesan asparagus, 
• Swiss chard patties, sesame green beans, 
• oven-baked butternut squash, oven-baked carrot sticks.

Tips for success

• You want to choose a well-marbled piece of meat with a decent amount of fat on top. The fattier the meat the more juicy and flavorful the roast.
• Always thaw the lamb before cooking - a few hours at least 2 to 3 hours. Cooking chilled meat can result in uneven baking causing the outer parts of the meat to overcook.
• A leg is a large chunk of meat and not much exposed. So, make sure to over-season the meat, because only some of it will penetrate the meat. The rest of it will get crusted on.
• Use a roasting rack, don't just place the meat on the baking tray. The roasting rack will let the juices flow below and let the outside of the leg forms a crust almost a sear that keeps all the juices in.
• Elevate the bone from the base if possible. This encourages even cooking by circulating the air.
• Cook the meat just until you reach the desired doneness, not a minute more. The meat continues to cook to about 5 to 10 degrees more after you take it out of the oven.
• If you are entertaining and want to ensure you have the perfect roast. Remove the lamb at about 135 F - this will be perfectly pink and about 140 F by the time you serve.
• Don't open the oven door too often to check doneness. Instead, calculate the cooking time and check closer to the time.
• Don't poke too many holes in the meat while checking for doneness. The moment you poke a hole in the meat you will see juices flow out. You want these to stay in so don't make too many holes. I poke the thermometer just once and leave it there until it reaches the desired temperature.
• Let the meat rest after cooking. If you cut the meat too soon all the juices will flow out of the meat and give you a dry roast. Instead, let the meat rest for at least 15 minutes if not more.

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Frequently asked questions

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