Roast Leg of Lamb
Tender, melt-in-your-mouth Leg of Lamb roast prepared with a succulent and citrusy garlic, herbs, and paprika marinade.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
FOR THE LEG OF LAMB
- 1 (4 to 5 pound) bone-in leg of lamb
- 6 cloves garlic
- ¼ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE PASTE
- 1 large lemon, juiced and zested
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon or to taste cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- olive oil, for drizzling
- coarse salt, to taste
FOR THE POTATOES
- 2 pounds small potatoes, halved
- ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
For the Lamb
- Trim excess fat from leg of lamb and transfer the leg to a roasting pan.
- Using a knife, make 6 shallow incisions into the leg and set aside.
- In a small shallow bowl combine 6 cloves garlic, 1/4 teaspoon olive oil, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper; using the back of a fork, press into the garlic to mash it, and stir around to combine it with the rest of the ingredients. If you have a mortar and pestle, use that to make the mixture.
- Stuff the garlic-herb mixture into the incisions. Set aside.
For the Paste
- In a mixing bowl combine lemon juice, olive oil, paprika, fresh ground pepper, cumin, cayenne pepper, rosemary, thyme leaves, and minced garlic; mix until thoroughly incorporated.
- Set aside two tablespoons of the paste. Cover and refrigerate.
- Use the rest of the paste to rub all over the lamb leg.
- Sprinkle lemon zest over the leg of lamb.
- Cover the lamb with foil and let stand 4 hours in a cool place, or overnight in the refrigerator.
Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
- Remove the lamb from the fridge and let it sit on the counter for 20 minutes before cooking. Set it on a roasting pan or a baking sheet.
- Cut up the potatoes and arrange them around the leg of lamb.
- Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the lamb and the potatoes; toss the potatoes to coat.
- Take the reserved marinade/paste and, using a pastry brush, brush the paste over the potatoes.
- Sprinkle coarse salt over the potatoes and lamb.
- Roast for 1 hour and 10 minutes, mixing through the potatoes few times during cooking.
- After 1 hour, check for doneness; Lamb is cooked through at 145˚F. For medium-rare, remove lamb from the oven at between 125˚F and 130˚F.
- Remove from oven and let the meat rest for 20 minutes before carving.
- Garnish with parsley and serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 248mg | Potassium: 944mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 430IU | Vitamin C: 24.8mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 7mg
