Slow Roasted Leg Lamb (Printable)
A succulent slow-roasted leg of lamb with garlic, lemon, and herbs for a rich savory meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meat
01 - 1 bone-in leg of lamb (5.5–6.5 lb), trimmed
→ Marinade
02 - 6 cloves garlic, sliced
03 - 2 lemons, zested and juiced
04 - 3 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
05 - 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
06 - 2 tsp kosher salt
07 - 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
08 - 1/4 cup olive oil
→ Vegetables
09 - 2 onions, thickly sliced
10 - 3 carrots, cut into large chunks
→ Liquids
11 - 1 cup dry white wine or low-sodium chicken broth
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 300°F.
02 - Pat the leg of lamb dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, make small incisions all over the lamb and insert garlic slices into the cuts.
03 - In a small bowl, combine lemon zest, lemon juice, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Rub this mixture all over the lamb, ensuring it is well coated.
04 - Arrange the onion slices and carrot chunks in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Place the lamb on top of the vegetables.
05 - Pour the white wine or chicken broth into the bottom of the pan.
06 - Cover the pan tightly with foil and roast for 2.5 hours.
07 - Remove the foil, increase the oven temperature to 400°F, and roast uncovered for an additional 30 minutes until the lamb is golden and the exterior is crisp.
08 - Remove from the oven and let the lamb rest, loosely covered with foil, for 15 minutes before carving. Serve with the roasted vegetables and pan juices.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The meat practically sighs when you cut into it, that kind of tenderness that makes guests go quiet for a moment.
- You do most of the work before noon, then forget about it while the oven does the heavy lifting.
02 -
- If you skip the resting period, your cutting board will be a pool of lost flavor and your slices will shred instead of hold.
- The vegetables underneath will look ugly and caramelized; this is correct and desirable.
03 -
- Marinate overnight if you can plan that far ahead; the lemon begins breaking down proteins and the flavor penetrates to the bone.
- Save the rendered fat from the pan drippings and use it to roast potatoes the next day.