7 years ago

Roasted Leg of Lamb

Seasoned with an aromatic rub and roasted until it’s browned and crisp on the outside, this traditional dish is a holiday favorite.

12 servings
Preparation time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients
For lamb:
1 bone-in leg of lamb, (about 7-8 pounds)
2 tablespoons coarse salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chicken broth or water

For gravy:
⅔ cup dry red wine
1 ½ cups chicken broth, divided
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

Directions

  1. Make incisions 1 inch long and ½ inch deep all over the leg; they’ll allow the aromatic rub to penetrate the meat more easily. Roughening the surface in this way also results in a crisper, more flavorful crust after broiling.
  2. Stir together salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary, mustard and oil in a small bowl until it forms a wet paste. Spread rub evenly over lamb, working it into the incisions. Let lamb sit at room temperature, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oven to 425 F.
  3. Transfer lamb, fat side up, to a large roasting pan fitted with a rack, and add broth. Roast lamb 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325 F and roast until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of flesh near the bone reaches 130 degrees to 135 degrees (medium-rare), about 55 minutes. Increase temperature to broil; broil until surface sizzles and becomes brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer lamb to a platter or carving board; let rest at least 20 minutes before carving.

For gravy:

  1. While lamb is resting, remove rack from roasting pan and place pan across 2 burners over medium-high heat.
  2. Add wine to the drippings in the pan, bring to a simmer and reduce by half, scraping up any brown bits with a wooden spoon.
  3. Whisk in 1 ¼ cups broth and return to a simmer.
  4. Whisk together remaining ¼ cup broth and flour in a small bowl, then whisk into wine mixture.
  5. Simmer until thickened slightly, less than 1 minute.
  6. Add any accumulated juices from platter or carving board and pour through a fine sieve into a bowl. Ladle into a gravy boat and serve with lamb.

Recipe source: Martha Stewart