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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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:
- While lamb is resting, remove rack from roasting pan and place pan across 2 burners over medium-high heat.
- 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.
- Whisk in 1 ¼ cups broth and return to a simmer.
- Whisk together remaining ¼ cup broth and flour in a small bowl, then whisk into wine mixture.
- Simmer until thickened slightly, less than 1 minute.
- 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