Roasted Lamb Leg Rosemary (Printable)
Tender lamb leg infused with rosemary, garlic, and thyme, roasted with vegetables and white wine.
# What You'll Need:
→ Lamb
01 - 1 bone-in leg of lamb (4.5–5.5 lb), trimmed
→ Marinade & Seasoning
02 - 4 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 8 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
04 - 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves chopped
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
06 - 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
07 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Vegetables
08 - 2 onions, sliced
09 - 2 carrots, cut into large chunks
10 - 2 celery stalks, cut into large pieces
→ Liquids
11 - 1 cup dry white wine or lamb stock
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - Pat lamb dry with paper towels. Make small incisions all over and insert garlic halves and rosemary leaves into each cut.
03 - Combine olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Rub mixture evenly over entire surface of lamb.
04 - Scatter onions, carrots, and celery across bottom of roasting pan. Position lamb leg on top of vegetables.
05 - Pour wine or stock into pan, taking care not to pour directly over lamb.
06 - Roast 20 minutes at 400°F to brown, then reduce to 350°F and continue 1 hour 10 minutes until internal temperature reaches 140–150°F for medium-rare. Baste occasionally with pan juices.
07 - Remove from oven, tent loosely with foil, and rest 15–20 minutes before carving.
08 - Strain pan juices and serve alongside sliced lamb.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The garlic mellows into sweet pockets of flavor that surprise you with every other bite
- Your kitchen will smell like a hillside in Provence for the rest of the evening
02 -
- Skipping the rest period ruins everything, the first slice will bleed onto your board and you will have dry meat
- The internal temperature rises 5°C after you pull it from the oven, so remove it early
03 -
- If your lamb is browning too fast, tent it loosely with foil rather than dropping the oven temperature
- A meat thermometer is non-negotiable, color alone lies