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–+ servings
A white platter with a leg of lamb and potatoes

Roast Leg of Lamb

Author: Veena Azmanov
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr
Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
Calories: 366kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 16 servings

Description

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.

Ingredients 

A Leg of lamb with bone is usually between 4 to 6 lbs (2 to 3 kgs)

  • 5 lbs (2.5 kg) Leg of lamb with bone

Marinade

  • 4 cloves Garlic (thinly sliced)
  • 2 sprigs Rosemary fresh
  • 4 sprigs Thyme fresh
  • 2 sprigs Oregano
  • 1 tablespoon Coarse salt
  • 1 teaspoon Pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Paprika
  • 4 tablespoon Lemon juice
  • 4 tbsp Olive oil

Extra

  • 4 sprigs Thyme and rosemary each
  • 2 sprigs Rosemary
  • 2 tablespoon Olive oil
  • 2 lb (1 kg) Baby roasting potatoes 2 lbs

For the gravy

Instructions

Marinade

  • 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.

Marinate the lamb

  • 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 the leg of lamb

  • Preheat the oven at 390 F or 200 C for 20 minutes.
  • Place the leg of lamb in the roasting pan surrounded by the baby potatoes. (if you are not using the potatoes, place the lamb on a roasting rack).
  • 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.

Make the 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 into a gravy boat.
  • Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

 

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Elevate the bone from the base if possible. This encourages even cooking by circulating the air.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. Don't open the oven door too often to check doneness. Instead, calculate the cooking time and check closer to the time.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.

Cooking temperatures

I cook my lamb medium-rare, about 135 F using a meat thermometer. But, if you don't own a thermometer 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.
  • Medium well - between 145 F to 150 F, approximately 25 minutes per pound.
  • Well Done is between 155 to 165 F,   approximately 30 minutes per pound.
 

The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you

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