This Bone In Leg of Lamb is sure to satisfy your palate’s desires. Roasted to perfection leaving you with an easy, tender, and delicious meat. Prepared with pantry staple ingredients but with restaurant quality results.
If you are looking for a quick recipe, then look no further as this bone in leg of lamb will have you coming back for seconds. This simple recipe will make even the novice cook look like quite the experience chef in the kitchen.
Lamb is one of those tender meats that screams FLAVOR. Lamb, one of two preferred meats that AJ enjoys, has to be done with the least amount of ingredients in order to truly enjoy the flavor.
What is Lamb
Traditionally serves during Easter, but you will enjoy this dish on any occasion. When cooked to perfection, it is one that is sure to bring the family to the dinner table and even outside stragglers.
Lamb meat is from a very young sheep, typically less than a year old. Lamb is highly sought-after during Easter season, which is in the spring in the United States.
The best and fresher meats will most likely be found during Easter time. But frozen lamb can be found year around.
How To Select Lamb Meat: Bone-In Or Boneless Leg Of Lamb
Selecting the meat is similar to selecting a good marbling on a steak. But keep in mind that it is not a meat high in fat; therefore, you will not find a whole lot of marbling in the inside.
Most of the fat content will be on the outskirt of the muscle. Whether you choose the bone-in or a boneless leg of lamb, the outcome will be the same.
The meat itself is beautifully pink. We highly recommend using fresh lamb from a local butcher for the upmost flavor.
For our recipe, we used the bone-in leg of lamb just for the extra effect. Truly it is just eye candy!
Meat connoisseurs know there are few fares more delicate than lamb. It’s hard to find on a menu, and when it is found, it’s can often be pricy.
Lamb, whether is it bone-in or boneless leg of lamb can be expensive to buy for everyday home use, so finding the perfect recipe to enjoy is extremely important.
Lamb is most often found as chops and racks. While they all serve their purpose, the leg of lamb dish is more practical when serving larger crowds (5 people or more).
Lamb isn’t always done right, but when it is, it’s divine, and this recipe is sure is divine. With our recipe and tips for roasted leg of lamb, you’ll be confident in the kitchen, and the results will be fabulous.
How And Where To Buy Leg Of Lamb
If you’re wondering where to buy leg of lamb, we have some suggestions. Most major grocery stores carry the boneless leg of lamb. However, very few carry the bone in option.
It is also best to check with your local butcher to find a good quality leg of lamb so you can prepare your meal.
Bone in Lamb leg isn’t the only ingredient in this recipe, but, as the name suggests, it’s the most important. Lamb is a young meat, making it naturally tender. This is good news for you as the cook, but something to note, over cooking it can stiffen the meat.
Leg of lamb comes either with bones or boneless as mentioned above, and either is fine to buy. Bone-in lamb will pose some extra steps, but it also adds flavor, and the bones can be repurposed for other dishes, or used for a sauce for your lamb.
When choosing your leg, if you’re going the boneless route, look for meat that is pink, as this shows the lamb’s young age.
Also look for marbling, as this will add taste. If you decide to cook a bone in leg, some extra trimming may be required. But, do not over trim the fat as it is used during the cooking process for flavor and maintaining moisture in the meat.
How To Marinate Your Bone In Leg Of Lamb
Now it’s time to choose flavors. This is where it gets fun, and you can get creative! You’ve got options! There are endless ways to prepare it, but our Leg of lamb recipe will give you delicious results.
You may alter this recipe however you so choose, but for the marinate, we used olive oil, garlic powder, Mint leaves, parsley, salt and pepper to taste.
- Olive Oil is liquid fat obtained from olives and is actually a much healthier oil to use. It adds an added flavor that pairs well with lamb.
- Garlic Powder or fresh minced garlic can be used as well. You certainly can’t go wrong with garlic flavor. Plus, it has quite a bit of added health benefits as well.
- Mint leaves- the minty flavor goes really well with lamb in general. And it does not overpower any of the other flavors.
- Parsley is an herb that we truly love and tend to add fairly often in our recipes. It has a myriad of health benefits and yet flavorful.
- Salt and Pepper- I recommend sprinkling some directly onto the meat prior to rubbing the marinate.
- Once all the ingredients are fully combined, rub thoroughly onto the meat. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least for 30 minutes.
How To Cook Leg Of Lamb
Now that you’ve chosen your leg, you’re ready to start preparation. Lamb has a sweet and astringent taste, and it can be off putting to some.
There are several important preparation steps to follow that’ll improve the overall taste and texture.
If you need to do some trimming, remove the fat from the outside, leaving a thin layer for taste and texture, and remove any loose pieces of fat.
If your lamb is bone-in, take out the tail and pelvis, leave only the shank. At the supermarket, you will only get the shank anyways.
If you remove any of the bones, either skewer or sew the separated meat together. If you purchased a boneless leg, it’ll already be tied.
Once the meat is ready, in a big enough pot, rinse it under cold water and vinegar. The acidity in the vinegar is great at reducing gaminess. It is also great at cleaning the meat and removing any excess bacteria that may be lingering.
Once completed, pat the leg dry with a paper towel. This will allow the rub or marinade to adhere, giving better texture and flavor. After drying, incise the meat several times to allow the flavor to envelop the entire cut.
Roasting Tips
- When it comes to lamb, preparation is important, as is the cooking method. This roasting recipe is as easy as it gets.
- We are simply going to allow the leg of lamb to cook in its own juices. The thought and attention will be displayed in the preparation than the meat will take over in the oven.
- Roasting time will vary depending on multiple factors, including the weight of the leg and whether or not it’s boneless leg of lamb.
- If it’s bone-in leg of lamb, the roasting time will decrease, which may seem counterintuitive, but it is so. And, of course, the heavier the leg, the longer it will take to roast.
- Roasting time will also change based on your pan, oven, and preference for rareness. If you want it cooked rare, plan for about 10-12 minutes per pound, and add one or two minutes per pound to the cook time for each level higher in doneness.
- Roast to an internal temperature of 130 degrees Fahrenheit for rare meat, and do not exceed 170 degrees Fahrenheit for well done.
- For our 6 lbs. leg of lamb, we reached in internal temperature of 160 degrees, which gave us a medium doneness. Once you have reached your desired doneness, change your oven to high boil and uncover the meat for another 5 minutes to brown it. This process will give you this beautiful golden roast and yes it will also raise the internal temperature tremendously.
Word to the wise, make sure your desired doneness is 5-10 degrees less before you turn on the broil on high, as you will achieve your final temperature during this process.
No matter what, keep an eye on your leg of lamb, checking the temperature periodically to ensure it does not overcook.
Once it’s finished, remove it from the oven and allow it to rest before carving. Do note that the leg will cook a bit more while it rests.
What To Serve With Leg Of Lamb
Lamb can be served with a variety of side dishes, some that we would highly recommend are listed below:
Braise some Brussels sprouts in butter and pair with potatoes.
Roast fennel for a side or cook some artichoke hearts.
Stuff and bake some tomatoes or mushrooms, and sauté spinach.
Use the discarded trimmings and bones, or the cooked trimmings from the bottom of the pan, to make an au jus.
Pair your roasted leg of lamb with a delicious cabernet sauvignon, a dinner roll, and a side garden salad or asparagus salad, and you have a beautiful meal.
Storage and Reserving Tips
You have just roasted an entire bone in leg of lamb (or boneless leg of lamb if desired), so you are likely to have leftovers. And that’s great news because you can eat it again!
To store, carve the entire leg and place it in an airtight container(s). Keep in your refrigerator for up to four or five days for ultimate freshness.
When you’re ready to eat your roasted leg of lamb again, reheat it in the oven, or use a toaster oven for smaller servings. Yes, you can also reheat it in the microwave.
Pair it again with your favorite sides, or use it atop a salad or sandwich, and enjoy.
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How To Cook Bone In Leg Of Lamb
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
To Wash The Meat
- ½ Gal. Water
- 1 Cup Distilled Vinegar
To Prepare The Meat
- 6 ½ Lbs. Bone In Leg Of Lamb
- 2 Tbsp. Garlic Powder
- ¼ Cup Chopped Fresh Curly Parsley
- 3 Tbsp. Kosher Salt
- 2 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Mint Leaves
- ½ Cup Olive Oil
- ¼ Cup Distilled Vinegar
- Ground Pepper To Taste
- ⅛ Tsp. Cayenne Pepper Or To Taste Optional
Instructions
How To Clean Leg Of Lamb
- Place the meat in a clean sink. Add the water and vinegar. Wash the meat thourgouhly and remove any gunk excess meat membrane.Rinse the meat thoroughly and pat dry. Set aside.
How To Cook Leg Of Lamb
- In a large bowl, add in all of the ingredients and mix well. Pour the mixture over the meat, and apply the mixture on all sides of the meat. Use a sharp knife to poke small incisions on various parts of the meat and continue to apply the marinating juice all over the meat. Cover with aluminum foil or roasted cover. Cook for the leg of lamb for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 400°F. Remove the foil or cover, place the meat on the lower rack in the oven and broil on high for 7-10 minutes. Remove the meat from the oven and serve warm. Enjoy!
Dannii
This is our favourite way to cook lamb. Perfect for feeding a crowd at Easter.
Mirlene
Thank you so much, Dannii.
Caitlyn Erhardt
My husband was a huge fan of this lamb recipe. The flavor and spices were spot on and the cook was perfect.
Mirlene
So glad to hear it. Thank you, Caitlyn.
Emily
So many great tips on how to select lamb as well as how to marinate it. I can’t wait to share this recipe!
Mirlene
Thank you, Emily.
Katie
Oh wow- there are no words for how good this is! So juicy and full of flavor! Definitely will be making this again, especially when we have guests as it’s seriously impressive.
Mirlene
WOW Thank you so much, Katie.
Tara
Such a stunning meal! I love all the tips you provided for finding and picking out bone in leg of lamb.
Mirlene
Thank you very much, Tara!