Description
A delicious herb-infused butterflied leg of lamb, perfect for gatherings and special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4–6 lb boneless leg of lamb, preferably butterflied
- to taste salt and black pepper
- 1 cup fresh herbs, packed (a mix of thyme, sage, and rosemary)
- 1 cup Italian parsley, packed (about ½ a bunch), tender stems ok
- 15–20 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ tsp salt per pound of lamb
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 6–8 cups variety of chopped root veggies (onions, potatoes, carrots, celery, fennel bulb, parsnips, beets, sunchokes, leeks, whole garlic cloves)
- to coat olive oil
- to taste additional salt and pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup finely chopped mint leaves, packed
- ⅓ cup finely chopped Italian parsley
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped capers
- 1 finely minced garlic clove
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion or shallot
- to taste additional salt and pepper
Instructions
- Remove lamb from packaging and pat dry well. Trim away any unwanted fat; a little marbled fat is good, big chunks are not.
- If desired, score the layer of fat on the roast in a diagonal criss-cross pattern and place the outer side (side with fat) down.
- Place all herbs, garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon zest in a food processor and pulse until it becomes very coarse sand. Add oil, scraping down the sides if necessary, pulse until just combined – not too smooth or oily.
- Spread 2/3 of the herb paste on the inside of the lamb, saving the rest for the outer crust. Tie the lamb at 2-inch intervals.
- Rub the remaining filling paste all over the outside of the lamb. Refrigerate for 1-3 days if making ahead. Bring to room temperature at least one hour before roasting.
- You have two roasting options: either roast alone on a wire rack over a pan or prepare a bed of roasting veggies for the leg of lamb.
- Cut roasting vegetables into bite-size pieces, toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs, then lay the lamb roast directly over top in a large roasting pan.
- Reduce heat to 325°F and continue roasting until desired doneness (use a thermometer). Once cooked, remove the lamb from the baking dish, set aside loosely covered with foil while letting the veggies continue to cook if needed.
- Let the lamb rest for 15-20 minutes.
- Make the optional Mint gremolata by combining mint leaves, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, capers, minced garlic, and onion in a small bowl.
- Slice the lamb and serve with roasted veggies & mint gremolata.
Notes
- Resting the lamb after cooking is important to ensure juiciness.
- The size of the lamb will determine the roasting time. Adjust accordingly.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 90mg