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Follow updated Apr 9, 2022 Everything you need to know to roast a perfectly cooked leg of lamb for your holiday meal. Jump to recipePage URL comments Comments We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.  (Image credit: Joe Lingeman) You can have the turkey. Leave the glazed ham. Prime rib — what’s that? In my house, leg of lamb is the celebratory roast; I love its tenderness and flavor. Have you ever roasted a leg of lamb? It may sound intimidating, but the sweet little secret is that leg of lamb is actually one of the easiest, most foolproof cuts of meat to cook. Here’s our remarkably simple, fuss-free approach to cooking a leg of lamb. It will turn out perfectly every time. Watch How To Roast A Leg Of Lamb Expert Tips for Buying & Cooking a Leg of LambWhile I’ve cooked lamb on many occasions, cooking a whole leg can still feel intimidating. It’s a large, expensive cut of meat, and I always wonder whether I am going to dry it out or make it tough. Should I marinate it? Should I do something special to make sure it’s cooked properly? I spoke to my favorite local butcher, Bluescreek Farm Meats, in Columbus, Ohio, to learn a little more about leg of lamb and how to cook it. Here are some expert tips from Jamie Smith at Bluescreek on what to look for in lamb, and how to cook it. A sneak peek: Cooking a leg of lamb is actually really, really simple. What Is a Leg of Lamb?When we talk about lamb leg, we mean one of the back haunches of the animal, and the most common cut includes the upper part of the leg only. (Think of the thigh, without the lower part of the leg.) Shank On or Off?Usually leg of lamb is sold without the shank attached; you are just buying the upper part of the leg, as seen here, without the lower part. You can order a leg of lamb with the shank left on, however; this is sometimes called an “American leg,” but usually it’s simply referred to as “shank-on leg.” Some people prefer this, as it looks more traditional and dramatic on a serving platter, but there’s no major advantage to having the shank (other than getting an extra soup bone!). (Image credit: Joe Lingeman) Boneless or Bone-In?Jamie prefers bone-in, for the flavor. Think of how we make stock from bones, she said. The bones hold so much of the flavor. When you roast a piece of meat with the bone still in, you are getting all that flavor in the meat itself. A bone-in lamb leg can be a little trickier to carve, but we opted for bone-in in this cooking lesson (we’ll show you how to carve it). If you are really nervous about carving meat, boneless is fine; it’s easier to slice. If you buy a boneless leg of lamb, it will probably come in a net. When the bone is removed from the lamb, the meat needs to be held together in the shape of the leg for cooking, so heatproof, oven-safe netting is usually used. If your netting isn’t oven-safe, you can tie it up with kitchen twine instead (or ask your butcher to do it for you!). (Image credit: Joe Lingeman) What Should I Ask for at the Butcher?When buying a leg of lamb we recommend doing so from a quality and reputable butcher. A leg of lamb is expensive regardless of where you buy it, so we feel that the investment is best spent with a butcher who either raises the animals himself (as Bluescreek does on their farm) or who can tell you how the lambs were raised. We look for lambs that are market weight, which means no baby lambs, and no lambs that are too old and verging on (tougher) mutton. Also, ask the butcher if they can trim the lamb leg for you if they have not already done so. This means that they will trim away the fell, a thick outer layer of fat (which is what can make lamb taste so strongly “mutton-y”), as well as any additional fat that you request to have removed. Personally, I like a nice pad of fat, which insulates the meat and keeps it tender. Should I Marinate a Leg of Lamb?Now, how to cook your leg of lamb? Here’s where things get really interesting. “Lamb leg is a really tender cut,” said Jamie at Bluescreek. “You don’t need to marinate it.” In fact, she said, marinating lamb can actually make it tougher. A marinade is designed to break down the tough fibers in meat, but since lamb is naturally so tender, marinating can destroy the integrity of the meat — the texture and flavor — and make it tough to chew. “I would not marinate a lamb leg for more than two or three hours,” said Jamie. “It’s fine to follow a recipe, but be cautious.” To add flavor to the roast, we decided to skip marinating altogether and season it simply with herbs and garlic. (Image credit: Joe Lingeman) Rare, Medium, or Well?Personal preference should determine how long you cook your leg of lamb. Personally, I find rare and bloody lamb to be unappetizing. I prefer medium-rare to medium — still tender, with a hint of pink. We calibrated our cooking lesson below to this stage of doneness, but consult the cooking chart below if you like your lamb done differently. I will say that such a large cut of meat will probably have some variability; parts of the lamb leg were a little closer to medium, and others were closer to rare. Internal Temperatures for Bone-in Leg of LambAll of these cooking times take into account the fact that we broil the lamb first to sear it. They also assume a resting period of at least 15 minutes, during which the lamb actually continues cooking internally. It’s best, especially if you like rare or medium-rare lamb, to take it out at a lower temperature than those officially recommended by the USDA. REMEMBER! These times are only guidelines. Depending on many factors, your lamb leg may roast slower or faster. Check after one hour and then continue roasting, checking frequently, until the lamb reaches your desired internal temperature. Roasting Temperature: 325°F
TUO Cutlery 12 inch Slicing Carving Knife $39.95 Amazon Lamb Is Already Tender: Don’t Overdo It!The primary takeaway, said Jamie, is that lamb is already a really tender cut of meat. Cooking should be simple. And that’s what we’ll show you here: a simple, easy way to cook a tender and juicy leg of lamb every time. Tester’s NotesA bone-in leg of lamb always surprises me with how easy it is to roast. This cut of lamb is always so flavorful, that just some garlic and rosemary is needed to flavor it. It may seem like a large piece of meat, but it’s great as a holiday table centerpiece or a hearty dinner on a weekend that leaves you with leftovers for sandwiches or salads for the week. Carving a leg of lamb is actually easier than carving a whole chicken, so we’ve added some more photos to walk you through the whole process visually so that you have a beautiful serving platter of perfect lamb slices when you’re all done. – Christine, November 2018 1 / 11 (Image credit: Joe Lingeman) Comments 14 Ratings How To Roast a Leg of LambPrint Recipe Everything you need to know to roast a perfectly cooked leg of lamb for your holiday meal. YieldServes 10, depending on size of the leg Prep time 15 minutes Cook time 1 hour 30 minutes Show Nutrition
Per serving, based on 10 servings. (% daily value)
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Recipe NotesTo serve: We highly recommend serving the lamb with this mint pesto. Storage: Leftover lamb can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freezing: Jamie recommends freezing leftover rare to medium-rare lamb in slices wrapped in foil. Then, to warm them, she puts the frozen slices, still wrapped, in a 350°F oven. This will warm them and not overcook them. Should Lamb Leg be covered when roasting?There's no need to cover a leg of lamb with foil while it roasts. Due to the longer cooking time of slow roast shoulder, it's a good idea to cover it with foil to help retain moisture. Take the foil off for the last 30 minutes of the cooking time to let the skin crisp up.
Does boneBone-in can be more flavorful but trickier to slice and serve. It also takes longer to cook. Boneless does have a quicker roasting time and is easy to carve, but this cut might be more expensive.
What is the cooking time for leg of lamb?Lamb should be roasted 20 mins per 450g/lb, plus an extra 20 mins. Weigh meat prior to roasting to determine cooking times. Cook at 220C/200C fan for the first 20 mins and then 190C/170C fan for the remaining time. Rest lamb before carving.
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Roast leg of lamb recipe bone in
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