How To Roast a Leg of Lamb
If you haven’t roasted a leg of lamb yet, don’t be intimidated. It’s much easier than you think! Follow the steps below for a delicious herb crusted lamb dish that will feed a crowd. It’s delightful when topped with a mint jelly or pesto. Serve with roasted carrots, butternut squash or a salad with spring greens.
- 5-7 pound lamb leg (bone-in)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 cloves garlic
- 5 stems fresh rosemary
- 1 small bunch parsley (finely chopped)
- 1 small bunch mint (finely chopped)
- Take the leg of lamb out of the refrigerator about an hour before cooking so it comes to room temperature. This promotes faster, more even cooking.
- Rub the lamb with olive oil. Set the lamb on a rack inside a roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and rub into the fat and meat.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Turn on the broiler and position a rack below so that the top of the meat is a few inches from the broiler element. Broil the lamb for 5 minutes or until the top of the lamb leg looks seared and browned.
- Flip the lamb over and put back under the broiler for 5 minutes or until the other side is seared.
- Take the lamb out of the oven. Turn off the broiler and set the oven temperature to 325°F. Reposition the oven rack to the middle of the oven. Mince the garlic, rosemary, parsley and mint. Flip the lamb leg over again and rub the top with the chopped garlic and herbs.
- Cover the lamb loosely with foil to keep the garlic and rosemary from burning. Put the lamb back in the oven and cook at 325°F for one hour.
- Remove the foil after an hour and take the temperature. The lamb is ready (medium-rare to medium) when the temperature is 135°F (or above). At 135°F the lamb is cooked to rare, but it will continue cooking as it rests, so we recommend taking it out of the oven at 135° for medium-rare to medium.
- If needed, continue cooking the lamb (uncovered) until it reaches your preferred internal temperature. Check the temperature every 20 minutes until done.
- Let the lamb rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.