Lamb is one of those red meats that people either really love or really hate. It has a distinctive flavor due to the nature of the fat in lamb that makes it not only tasty but also very good for you.
With ties to cuisines all over the world, it is hard to say which culture can claim it and which country prepares it the best way. With that being said, there are some seriously good Indian, Brazilian, and English lamb recipes that are worth exploring. Check out this Braised Lamb Shank Recipe for another featured lamb recipe on BrianSirois.com.
For some people, lamb is the featured protein for Easter dinner. This recipe was made for that purpose but it is good year round, especially in cold weather seasons when you need something comforting and hearty to warm your bones, plus the smell of lamb while it is roasting will have everyone salivating for hours.
To make this Leg of Lamb recipe, start by making your lamb rub/marinade. In a food processor, add bay leaves, rosemary, parsley, garlic, carrots, all purpose flour, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper and blend until you have a smooth paste. Rub the entire lamb leg with the rub until it evenly coated, be sure to use all of the rub. Place the lamb into the refrigerator. Allow the lamb to marinate for at least four hours but if you are able, let it marinate over night for 12-24 hours.
After allowing the lamb time to marinate, remove the lamb from the refrigerator and preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
To a roasting pan, add carrots, celery, onion, rosemary, thyme, and beef stock. Place the lamb directly over the chopped vegetables, try not to submerge in the stock. Place the lamb into the oven on the middle rack and roast for about two hours.
Depending on the size of the lamb or if it is bone-in or boneless it will take about 20 minutes per pound at 350 degrees. As always, the best way to monitor a roast is to use a leave-in thermometer that will tell you the exact temperature of your lamb at all times. They are worth the investment.
Roast the lamb until it has an internal temperature of 125 degrees for rare or 130 for medium rare. Remove the roast from the oven, tent with foil, and let rest for at least 20 minutes. Resting allows the lamb muscle fibers to relax and allow the juices to redistribute throughout the rest of the lamb. Carving too soon without letting it rest will result in the juices running out of the lamb and the lamb tasting dry.
To carve, make thin slices at the edge of the leg of lamb and work your way towards the bone. If you are using a boneless leg of lamb, just carve thin slices all the way across the lamb. Slicing meat thin is another way of keeping meat tender. Compare chewing a 1″ by 1″ cube of meat to a 1/4″ slice and you will notice a huge difference in the chewing experience.
Serve your lamb with juices/drippings from the pan and the roasted vegetables. A yogurt based cream sauce is always great with lamb as well.
Enjoy your Leg of Lamb, hope it tastes as good as it smelled while it was cooking!
Roasted Leg of Lamb
Ingredients
Lamb Rub
- Boneless Leg of Lamb/Leg of Lamb
- 2 Crushed Bay Leaves
- 1 Sprig of Rosemary Leaves Removed from Sprig
- 1 Handful of Fresh Parsley Coarsely Chopped
- 4 Cloves of Garlic Peeled and Smashed
- 2 Large Carrots Peeled
- 1 tbsp All Purpose Flour
- 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 tbsp Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Salt
Roasting Pan
- 2 Large Carrots Coarsely Chopped
- 1 Whole Small Celery Stalk Coarsely Chopped
- 1 Large Onion Coarsely Chopped
- 1 Sprig of Rosemary
- 2 Sprigs of Thyme
- 1 qt Beef Stock
Instructions
- Place all Lamb Rub ingredients into a food processor and pulse until it becomes a paste. Remove ingredients from food processor and rub all over the leg of lamb until it is evenly coated. Let marinate for at least 4 hours (we recommend 12-24 hours).
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a roasting pan add all of your Roasting Pan ingredients. Unwrap your lamb and place it over the vegetables.
- Place your pan in the oven on the middle rack and roast your lamb until the internal temperature is at 125 degrees for a rare/med-rare. Remove from the oven, cover with foil, and let rest for twenty minutes.
- Carve thin slices starting with the edge of leg of lamb and working your way towards the bone.
- Serve with pan juice, and roasted vegetables.