Roast Leg of Lamb, Four Ways
Instructions:
- The main recipe is classic and basic, but I prefer the wonderfully
strong-flavored variations, all of which work perfectly
with grilled leg of lamb too (see the following
recipe). You can also use any of these with boned leg—
just cut the cooking time by about half.
Other cuts and meats you can use: thick cuts of London
broil or flank steak.
- One 5- to 7-pound leg of lamb, preferably at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds waxy red or white potatoes, peeled and cut into 11/2-inch chunks
- 4 carrots, cut into 11/2-inch chunks
- 2 onions, quartered
- 1/2 cup chicken, beef, or vegetable stock (to make your Own ) or water, plus more as needed
- Heat the oven to 425 F. Remove as much of the surface fat as possible from the lamb; rub the meat all over with salt and pepper. Put it in a roasting pan and scatter the vegetables around it; moisten with 1/2 cup of the stock.
- Roast the lamb for 30 minutes, then turn the heat down to 350 F. Check the vegetables; if they’re dry, add another 1/2 cup of liquid. After about 1 hour of roasting, check the internal temperature of the lamb with an instant-read thermometer. Continue to check every 10 minutes, adding a little more liquid if necessary. When it reaches 130 F for medium-rare (125 F for very rare)—check it in several places—it is done (total cooking time will be less than 11/2 hours). Let it rest for a few minutes before carving. Serve with the vegetables and pan juices.
- Roast Leg of Lamb with Thyme and Orange.
- Omit the vegetables and stock. Mix the salt and pepper with 3 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves or 11/2 tablespoons dried, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon minced or grated orange zest.
- Use a thin-bladed knife to cut some small slits in the lamb and push a bit of the herb mixture into them; rub the lamb all over with the remaining mixture. If you have time, let the lamb sit for an hour or more (refrigerate if it will be much longer). Roast as directed in Step 2.
- Roast Leg of Lamb with Garlic and Coriander
- Seeds. Include or omit the vegetables as you like. Mix the salt and pepper with 2 tablespoons crushed coriander seeds (put them in a plastic bag and pound gently with a rolling pin, rubber mallet, or like object) and 1 teaspoon minced garlic.
- Use a thin-bladed knife to cut some small slits in the lamb and push a bit of the spices into them; rub the lamb all over with the remaining spices. If you have time, let the lamb sit for an hour or more (refrigerate if it will be much longer). Roast as directed in Step 2, omitting the liquid if you choose to omit the vegetables. This roast is better closer to medium than to rare—about 135 F.
- Roast Leg of Lamb with Anchovies.
- Include or omit the vegetables as you like. Mix the salt and pepper with 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves or 1 teaspoon dried, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 3 or 4 minced anchovy fillets (optional), and 2 tablespoons olive or anchovy oil.
- Use a thin-bladed knife to cut some small slits in the lamb and push a bit of the spices into them; rub the lamb all over with the remaining spices. If you have time, let the lamb sit for an hour or more (refrigerate if it will be longer). Roast as directed in Step 2, omitting the liquid if you choose to omit the vegetables.
- When the meat is done, transfer it to a warm platter. Spoon or pour off most of the accumulated fat from the roasting pan and put it on 1 or 2 burners over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup red wine or stock and 1/2 cup water and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any brown bits until the liquid is reduced to 1/2 to 3/4 cup.
- Carve the lamb and serve with the sauce; garnish with sprigs of rosemary if you have them.