Oven-roasted leg of lamb is slow-cooked in with aromatic herbs and seasonings, then seared on the outside for the perfect caramelized exterior.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Earthy, grassy roasted lamb has a light and fresh flavor with an herb and mustard rub.
- Skill level: This easy two-step roasting process guarantees a juicy, tender leg of lamb every time.
- Technique: This leg of lamb is roasted using a technique called reverse sear. This means the meat is cooked low and slow at first and then seared by cooking it at a high temperature at the end. Be sure to allow for the rest time in between to make sure that the lamb doesn’t overcook.
- Quick tip: Transferring the lamb to a clean pan for searing helps keep the juices from smoking or burning.
- Recommended tools: A meat thermometer is the best way to make sure this lamb is perfectly cooked.
- Serving suggestions: Mint sauce or chimichurri are great with this lamb.
Ingredient Tips For Roast Leg of Lamb
- Lamb: This recipe uses a boneless leg of lamb, which has been rolled and tied into a roast. Lamb leg is much leaner than a lamb shoulder. This recipe has not been tested with other cuts of lamb, including a bone-in leg of lamb.
- Seasonings: Fresh herbs, garlic, and mustard add lots of flavor and a beautiful crust to this recipe
How to Make Roasted Leg of Lamb (overview)
- Season the leg of lamb with the rub (full recipe below).
- Slow roast until the internal temprature reaches 110°-115°F.
- Rest the lamb and increase the oven temp to 475°F. Transfer the leg of lamb to a clean pan and roast to the desired internal temperature, and a browned crust has formed on the outside.
- Rest before slicing.
Lamb Temperatures
Ensure the lamb reaches the internal temp as indicated below (after resting).
Medium Rare 135°F Dark pink center
Medium 145°F Pink center
Medium Well 155°F Browned center with very little pink
Holly’s Tips for Roasted Lamb
- Allow the meat to come to room temperature before cooking.
- Be sure to transfer the roast to a new pan in Step 7 to decrease the risk of the juices smoking.
- Be sure to let the roasted lamb rest for the best results. If using drippings to make gravy, transfer the roast to a plate or cutting board.
Leftovers
Storage: Keep the leftover leg of lamb in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze slices in zippered freezer bags for up to two months.
Leftovers: Leftover leg of lamb can be enjoyed sliced in sandwiches, reheated in the microwave, or added to Greek-style gyros or an Irish stew.
Did you enjoy this Leg of Lamb Recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Leg of Lamb Recipe
This roasted leg of lamb recipe is full of flavor and uses an easy reverse sear technique for perfect juicy results.
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 lbs boneless leg of lamb
Herb Rub
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon whole grain dijon mustard
- 1½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ½ tablespoon kosher salt more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For Serving
- fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
- mint sauce optional but recommended
Instructions
- Remove the lamb leg from the fridge at least 60 minutes before cooking.
- Preheat oven to 250°F.
- Combine olive oil, garlic, parsley, rosemary, mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Dab the lamb dry with paper towels. Rub the lamb with the herb rub.
- Place in a rimmed baking sheet and bake until internal temperature reaches 110-115°F, about 60-80 minutes depending on size and shape.
- Remove from the oven and rest 20 minutes. While the lamb roast is resting, turn the oven up to 475°F.
- Place the lamb roast on a clean pan back into the oven and cook until it reaches 125-130°F (or as desired per the temperatures below), about 15-20 minutes. *See note. The temperature will increase about 10°F while resting.
- Rest 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving.
Notes
- A meat thermometer is essential for this recipe. Cooking times can vary based on the type of pan and the shape/size of the roast.
- Allow the lamb come to room temperature before roasting.
- Remove the lamb from the oven at 110-115°F for the first cook. When you turn the oven up to a high temperature the lamb will become get a browned crust.
- The second cook is at a very high temperature to form a nice crust so you may experience some smoking in the oven due to the oil and juices in the pan. To reduce smoking, transfer the lamb roast to a clean pan. If the lamb has a browned crust to your liking but hasn’t reached 125°F yet, you can turn the oven off and leave it in the oven until it reaches the desired temperature.
- Be sure to rest before cutting.
- Do not overcook. The lamb leg will continue to rise 5-10°F as it rests so be sure to take it out early.
Medium 145°F Pink center
Medium Well 155°F Browned center with very little pink
Nutrition Information
Calories: 343 | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 1048mg | Potassium: 652mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 222IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dinner, Entree, Main Course
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Please can we have temperatures in celcius too. We gave up the old fashioned temperatures years ago across the pond. There are a lot of us that love your recipes but have to spend time looking up tables to get the temperature for our equipment
Thank you so much for the feedback! We’re always looking to make things easier, so I’ll definitely keep this in mind for future recipes.
brilliant
Glad you enjoyed it, Kevin.
hi I’m doing a leg of lamb this Sunday it has bone in it do you know how much longer it will need to cook for its 3pound weight. thank you
I haven’t tested this method with a bone-in leg of lamb but it should follow the same temperatures as listed in the recipe.
Holly you say in the prelude to the recipe that you have tried it with bone in and several other forms but now you say you have not tried it with the bone in. Whicj is it?
In the prelude I state that I have not tested it with bone in.
This recipe has not been tested with other cuts of lamb, including a bone-in leg of lamb.
Absolutely delicious. I add low fat mayonnaise (1/2 cup) to the marinade.
Cooked it on the gas BBQ on indirect heat using the same timing.
It was so tender!!!!
So happy to hear you loved this recipe, Jeanine! Thanks so much for leaving a comment.