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–+ servings
Crispy roast lamb leg on a wooden chopping board.

Crispy Roast Lamb Leg

My trusty crispy roast lamb leg recipe that's well seasoned, has a good crust, and juicy, perfectly pink meat.
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Prep Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Resting time 15 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine British
Servings 8 people
Calories 238 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 

  • 1 Leg of lamb
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper (not ground/powdered pepper)
  • 1 garlic clove (grated)
  • 1 tablespoon diced fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Instructions
 

Prepping the lamb leg

  • Blot any moisture from the surface of the lamb with paper towels and lightly score a crisscross pattern on the fatty side with a sharp knife.
  • Mix the olive oil with the grated garlic, diced rosemary, salt, and pepper. Brush it all over the lamb and leave uncovered in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

Roasting the lamb leg

  • Remove the lamb leg from the fridge and let it come to room temperature (at least 30 minutes).
  • Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F (no fan).
  • Place the lamb fat side down on a roasting tray with a rack and roast for 30 minutes.
  • Turn the lamb over so it is fat side up, and roast for another 15 minutes.
  • Turn the oven down to 175°C/345°F and roast for a further 30-45 minutes or until the lamb leg reaches your desired internal temperature (see notes below).
  • Rest the lamb for 15-20 minutes before carving and serving.

Gravy

  • In the roasting pan, slowly whisk two to three teaspoons of flour into the lamb drippings until you have a smooth, thick paste (a roux).
  • Heat lamb or vegetable stock in a pan to a gentle simmer and then whisk a ladleful into the roux to loosen the paste.
  • Add the loosened roux into the saucepan and cook at a gentle simmer for 10 minutes until it thickens. Season to taste and sieve into a serving jug.

Notes

 
Roast lamb leg internal temperatures
  • Rare 60°C/140°F.
  • Medium rare 60–65°C/140-149°F.
  • Medium 65–70°C/149-158°F.
  • Medium well done 70°C/158°F.
  • Well done 75°C/167°F.

Nutrition

Calories: 238kcalCarbohydrates: 0.3gProtein: 36gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 111mgSodium: 398mgPotassium: 506mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.01gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 3mg
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