Favourite Leg of Lamb recipe?

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taxlady

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I just bought a bone-in leg of lamb, it was on special for $11/kg. It's almost 2 kg (~4.4 lbs).

I looked at a lot of old posts about lamb and lamb recipes here on DC.

I cooked a leg of lamb once before, on a charcoal grill. There was some sort of marinade. It was good, but nothing special. At over $20 for a chunk of meat, I want special. :LOL:

Recommendations? I'm not up for charcoal grilling it and even if I was, I don't think my hibachi is big enough.

I have plenty of fresh rosemary and mint, as well as fresh dill, parsley, thyme, and oregano.
 
I am sure by now you have made it. When I make it I cut some slivers in the meat and insert garlic slices. And some springs of rosemary. I also S&P on the outside and roast it. I toss the rest of rosemary I have left over in the pan so that it can flavor the juices. I don't remove the needles from the stem. It makes it easier to remove the sprigs.

What did you end up doing? :angel:
 
This is my favourite method.
Cut small slits into lamb, stuff whole peeled cloves of garlic and some rosemary into the slits. Rub lamb with sea salt and coarse black pepper. Brown lamb on all sides in a large pan with some olive oil. Place lamb in oven dish with about 4 large quartered onions and 6 carrots cut into chunks. Pour hot water into dish till it's half full. Mix one pkt of brown onion soup powder with cold water and add to lamb. Cover and bake in the oven at 300 F for about 3 hours. Check every hour to see if liquid needs topping up. Add some fresh thyme, 1 punnet of brown mushrooms and the juice of one lemon and cook uncovered till lamb is tender and falling off the bone.
 
Steve R.

I lived in Australia for a while where lamb is a very popular item. I brought this recipe home from there. It has an Asian flavor that is quite tasty.

Marinade Ingredients: 4 cloves garlic crushed, 1 Tbsp. sugar, 1Tbsp. chopped fresh ginger, 2 Tbsp. Ketsup, 2 Tbsp. soy sauce, 2 Tbsp. dry sherry, 3 Tbsp hoi sin sauce, 1Tbsp. honey and one teaspoon Chineese Five spice powder. Combine all marinade ingredients, pour over meat and marinade for 24 hours.

Cook:
Preheat oven to 450*. Place meat on a rack in a roasting pan. Add 3/4" of water to the bottom of the pan. This keeps the meat moist and also keeps the pan from getting so sticky in the oven. Roast for about 45 minutes or until meat has reached desired temperature. Baste with the remaining marinade several times during cooking. Alternatvely, you may also do the leg on the grill. I cook it over indirect heat on my Weber and actually prefer it this way. The marinade forms a nice crispy crust, and I cook the lamb to md. rare. Hope you try it and enjoy. A nice Australian Shiraz pairs nicely.
 
I make whole leg of lamb once a year for the Easter holiday. My absolute favorite way to cook it is spit roasted over a wood fire. Very caveman-like, but oh so delicious.

I don't know if you've cooked your roast yet, but one thing I would suggest is to give the meat a good all over salting, and then wrap tightly in plastic and allow to sit in the fridge for a day or two. It really helps flavor the meat and keep it tender.

Short of that, I'm not a huge fan of doing too much to it. I usually make a flavoring paste by running olive oil, garlic (lots), oregano, and lemon juice through the food processor and then slather it on the meat a few hours before cooking. In my opinion, a lot of people try to mask the flavor of lamb. I choose to embrace it. :chef:
 
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thank you everyone for ideas, recipes, suggestions.

Looks like I will be making the lamb for supper tomorrow. I think I will go with a slow roast method - thanks for the idea Snip. I like the idea of anchovies in the seasoning - thanks for the link acerbicacid.

I Googled "slow roasted leg of lamb" and found a bunch of interesting recipes. Now I just have to choose. :ermm: :LOL:

BBC - Food - Recipes : Slow roast leg of lamb with chardonnay, rosemary, sage and bay
Farmgirl Fare: Recipe: Slow Roasted Greek Style Leg of Lamb with Lemon, Oregano, Potatoes, and Swiss Chard
Nigel Slater: In the slow lane | Life and style | The Observer
Moroccan Mechoui Recipe - Slow-Roasted Leg of Lamb

If I had thought to ask the butcher to cut off the shank, I think I would be trying this slow cooker recipe: Slow-cooked Leg of Lamb with Garlic, Lemon and Rosemary, and Lemon Potatoes with Garlic & Oregano » Dinner With Julie I may very well make the potatoes.
 
I had a St. Patrick's Day party once and made a leg of lamb - I wanted a flavor different from the typical Mediterranean. I had the butcher debone it, then I opened it like a big book ;) and smeared the inside with a mixture of garlic, rosemary, thyme, olive oil, mustard and S&P. Then I rolled it up and tied it with string, let it sit for a few hours, then slow-roasted it for a few hours. It was delicious.
 
thank you everyone for ideas, recipes, suggestions.

Looks like I will be making the lamb for supper tomorrow. I think I will go with a slow roast method - thanks for the idea Snip. I like the idea of anchovies in the seasoning - thanks for the link acerbicacid.

I Googled "slow roasted leg of lamb" and found a bunch of interesting recipes. Now I just have to choose. :ermm: :LOL:

BBC - Food - Recipes : Slow roast leg of lamb with chardonnay, rosemary, sage and bay
Farmgirl Fare: Recipe: Slow Roasted Greek Style Leg of Lamb with Lemon, Oregano, Potatoes, and Swiss Chard
Nigel Slater: In the slow lane | Life and style | The Observer
Moroccan Mechoui Recipe - Slow-Roasted Leg of Lamb

If I had thought to ask the butcher to cut off the shank, I think I would be trying this slow cooker recipe: Slow-cooked Leg of Lamb with Garlic, Lemon and Rosemary, and Lemon Potatoes with Garlic & Oregano » Dinner With Julie I may very well make the potatoes.

Enjoy! Sure it's going to be delicious any way you make it :)
 
I make whole leg of lamb once a year for the Easter holiday. My absolute favorite way to cook it is spit roasted over a wood fire. Very caveman-like, but oh so delicious.

I don't know if you've cooked your roast yet, but one thing I would suggest is to give the meat a good all over salting, and then wrap tightly in plastic and allow to sit in the fridge for a day or two. It really helps flavor the meat and keep it tender.

Short of that, I'm not a huge fan of doing too much to it. I usually make a flavoring paste by running olive oil, garlic (lots), oregano, and lemon juice through the food processor and then slather it on the meat a few hours before cooking. In my opinion, a lot of people try to mask the flavor of lamb. I choose to embrace it. :chef:

Lamb is still grass fed. It remains in its original "food of the gods" states. I agree, basic. Brine, then long, slow, smoky roast first over wood if possible. Then you can season whatever way you like. Other than salt, seasoning before slow cooking is pretty much a waste. Season right before serving.
 
I had a St. Patrick's Day party once and made a leg of lamb - I wanted a flavor different from the typical Mediterranean. I had the butcher debone it, then I opened it like a big book ;) and smeared the inside with a mixture of garlic, rosemary, thyme, olive oil, mustard and S&P. Then I rolled it up and tied it with string, let it sit for a few hours, then slow-roasted it for a few hours. It was delicious.

That sounds really nice GG :yum:
 
I lived in Australia for a while where lamb is a very popular item. I brought this recipe home from there. It has an Asian flavor that is quite tasty.

Marinade Ingredients: 4 cloves garlic crushed, 1 Tbsp. sugar, 1Tbsp. chopped fresh ginger, 2 Tbsp. Ketsup, 2 Tbsp. soy sauce, 2 Tbsp. dry sherry, 3 Tbsp hoi sin sauce, 1Tbsp. honey and one teaspoon Chineese Five spice powder. Combine all marinade ingredients, pour over meat and marinade for 24 hours.

Cook:
Preheat oven to 450*. Place meat on a rack in a roasting pan. Add 3/4" of water to the bottom of the pan. This keeps the meat moist and also keeps the pan from getting so sticky in the oven. Roast for about 45 minutes or until meat has reached desired temperature. Baste with the remaining marinade several times during cooking. Alternatvely, you may also do the leg on the grill. I cook it over indirect heat on my Weber and actually prefer it this way. The marinade forms a nice crispy crust, and I cook the lamb to md. rare. Hope you try it and enjoy. A nice Australian Shiraz pairs nicely.

Nice recipe, thanks Steve :)
 
Leg of lamb last sunday

We have a leg of lamb every so often. I do insert garlic slivers and rosemary when it is good from the garden. Drizzle with EVOO then salt and pepper generously. Quarter an onion and throw some garlic cloves arond the pan. Slow cook until it is almost falling of the bone.
 

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We have a leg of lamb every so often. I do insert garlic slivers and rosemary when it is good from the garden. Drizzle with EVOO then salt and pepper generously. Quarter an onion and throw some garlic cloves arond the pan. Slow cook until it is almost falling of the bone.
Looks like quite a feast.
 
Pretty basic here. Olive oil, dijon mustard, garlic, lemon juice and zest from one lemon, ros marinate in the remaining ingredients a tightly wrapped bag overnight. Roast at 325 until meat thermometer says "let's eat" Let rest for 10-15 minutes before attacking..
 
Pretty basic here. Olive oil, dijon mustard, garlic, lemon juice and zest from one lemon, ros marinate in the remaining ingredients a tightly wrapped bag overnight. Roast at 325 until meat thermometer says "let's eat" Let rest for 10-15 minutes before attacking..

Hey Roch! What temp is "let's eat"? Leg'o lamb naive here...
 
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