Roast Leg of Lamb

-Sylvie-'s Note:

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.

• Total Time: 2 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 1 leg of lamb (about 5 lbs)
• 3 garlic cloves , slivered
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried rosemary or 1 ½ teaspoons some fresh sprigs rosemary
• 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper , coarsely ground
• coarse salt

Directions:

1. Remove lamb from refrigerator 1 hour before roasting.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C/Gas 6.
3. Make small slits just large enough for garlic slivers evenly in the leg of lamb, and insert the garlic slivers.
4. 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.
5. Place lamb, fat side up on a rack in an uncovered pan.
6. 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.
7. When done, remove from oven, cover the roast in foil and allow it to rest for 20 minutes before carving.
8. 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.

Reviews

[JustJanS]

What a fantastic leg of lamb this was! I squeezed the lemon over it, then, instead of putting the lamb on a rack, I lay it on the lemon shells, and sprigs of rosemary. Oh, I used fresh rosemary rather than dried.

[aviva]

A very good and easy dish to make! I used all of the ingredients as listed below. I baked my 4 pound lamb at 375 degrees for 1 1/2 hours to about 158 degrees. The temperature rose upon resting. I did not have a rack so I put the lamb in the pan, but still poured 1 cup of water in. I thickened the gravy as directed below and it tasted great.

[whitephantom412]

I just made this and it came out PERFECT. This is also my first time making a roast of any kind, I am away at college and missed grandma's easter dinne :( I followed others advice below and cooked at 375. My boneless roast was a little over 4 lbs. I added a touch of dill weed and thyme to the spice mix too. I did not have stock so I did not make gravy, but this meat hardly needs it! I cooked for 80 min and the meat was still quite pink just below surface and draining much blood. I did not really have a thermometer, so I had to go by the juices and peeking in a little cut (I let it cool a little first so this did not drain much juice away) The top was starting to get dark, so I covered with Al foil and recooked another ~20 min. This took it to medium/medium rare after cooling and it is amazzzziiinngly tender and juicy. I also threw in some red potatoes sprinkle in the rub spices about 40 min into the cooking.