A perfectly roasted boneless leg of lamb is a beautiful meal to serve for Easter, special occasions, and holidays. With this simple recipe, you can present an elegant cut of meat that’s tender and juicy with mouthwatering flavors of rosemary and garlic. If this is your first time making lamb, it won’t be your last!
If you are intimidated by lamb, don’t be. This is quite possibly one of the easiest and awe-inspiring recipes. Guests will marvel at how delicious it was, and you will be cool as a cucumber because it was so easy.
In fact, find all of the sides and fixings to round out your Easter Dinner Menu where the rest of my Easter recipes live. Don’t forget the deviled eggs and mashed potatoes! Those complete every Easter meal!
How to cook a boneless leg of lamb
Unlike most recipes for large cuts of meat, this one does not require any brining time. This leg of lamb just needs a simple herb rub that serves as a brief marinade right before it goes in the oven.
Which is better bone-in or boneless leg of lamb?
Bone-in leg of lamb is usually a little cheaper and cooks faster. Plus, you get a bone for making stock. The bone adds a little extra juiciness to the meat; however, boneless lamb roasts can be just as delicious and are much easier to carve without the bone.
This recipe uses a blend of rosemary, garlic, and black pepper. Cumin, oregano, and curry are also popular seasonings for lamb.
You will also need a rack inside of a roasting pan, like the one below. If you do not have a pan like this, a deep casserole dish or dutch oven will also work. Cooking times may vary depending on these changes.
What size lamb roast should I buy?
This is a question I struggled with for a long time. My secret: always estimate more than what you need. I always account for about ½ pound of meat per serving. Most people don’t actually eat that much, especially if you are factoring in children.
With ½ pound per person, here’s a chart for getting the right size for the number of servings:
Servings
Weight of Roast
6 people
3 pounds
8 people
4 pounds
10 people
5 pounds
12 people
6 pounds
12+ people
purchase 2 roasts
Lamb Roast Internal Cooking Temperatures
If you take nothing else away from this article, hear this: Please. Please. Please. Use an in-oven meat thermometer.
You can pick them up off of Amazon, Target, Wal-Mart, or just about any grocery store.
Internal temperature – not time – will yield the perfectly tender result that you want!
The internal temperature is all a matter of taste. Personally, I prefer lamb right at the threshold between Medium Rare and Medium. It’s still pretty pink in the center but not overly runny. The red juices, by the way, are not blood, but a protein in the meat that is released when cooked.
To reach your desired doneness and temperature, follow this chart:
Level
Internal Temp (F)
Looks Like
Rare
120-125F
Bright red center, pinkish toward exterior
Medium Rare
130-135F
Pink center, slightly browned toward exterior
Medium
140-145F
Light pink center, outer portion is brown
Medium Well
150-155F
Not Pink
Well Done
160F and above
Uniformly brown throughout
What is the cooking time for a leg of lamb?
Of course, the time it takes to reach the desired internal temperature is determined by the weight of the lamb roast.
Keep in mind that all ovens vary, which is why it’s so important to use an in-oven meat thermometer while cooking, so you can monitor the process.
As a general guide, refer to this chart when preparing estimates for cook time:
Weight
Rare (120-125F)
Medium-Rare (130-135F)
Medium (140-145F)
Well Done (160-165F)
1 pound
15 minutes
20 minutes
25 minutes
30 minutes
2 pounds
30 minutes
40 minutes
50 minutes
60 minutes
3 pounds
45 minutes
60 minutes
1 hour, 15 minutes
1 hour, 30 minutes
4 pounds
60 minutes
1 hour, 20 minutes
1 hour, 40 minutes
2 hours
5 pounds
1 hour, 15 minutes
1 hour, 40 minutes
2 hours, 5 minutes
2 hours, 30 minutes
6 pounds
1 hour, 30 minutes
2 hours
2 hours, 30 minutes
3 hours
Tips for this recipe
After the roast is removed from the oven, it will continue cooking as it rests. The longer the meat rests, the higher the internal temperature will rise. Keep this in mind when you are calculating serving and cooking times.
If you do not have an in-oven thermometer, use a regular meat thermometer to begin checking the internal temperature about 30 minutes before the estimated roasting time ends.
Bringing the meat to room temperature is crucial for a well-roasted cut of meat. Otherwise, you could end up with a tough roast.
Boneless Leg of Lamb Recipe
Anna Kate
A perfectly roasted boneless leg of lamb is a beautiful meal to serve for Easter, special occasions, and holidays. With this simple recipe, you can present an elegant cut of meat that’s tender and juicy with mouthwatering flavors of rosemary and garlic. If this is your first time making lamb, it won’t be your last!
Allow the uncooked lamb to come to room temperature – about 1 hour.
Combine the garlic, rosemary, black pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Whisk to combine, and set aside.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Prepare the Lamb:
Remove the lamb from the package, but keep the netting on. Pat the roast dry with paper towels, and place on a rack of a roasting pan.
Apply the rub on all sides of the lamb roast.
Insert an oven-proof meat thermometer into the center of the roast, making sure the tip of the probe is not exposed but inserted into the meat.
Roast the lamb:
Place the uncovered lamb roast in a 450F degree oven for 15 minutes to create a “seared” effect and a flavorful brown crust.
After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 325F degrees for the remaining 1 hour and 20 minutes of cook time. (uncovered; for a 4 pound roast to medium-rare)
Continue cooking until the meat thermometer reads 120F degrees. Remove from the oven and cover with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until it reaches the desired internal temperature. (see chart above)
As you are ready to carve, place the roast on a cutting board with a well to catch juices. Remove the netting with scissors.
With a carving knife, slice the meat across the grain into desired thickness. Serve immediately.
Notes
Please read the entire post for details, tips, and more!
The leg and rack of lamb are perfect for herb-crusting and oven-roasting; since the shank and shoulder are a bit tougher, they fare well in stews or braises—the long cook time allows them to significantly break down and become fork-tender.
Fattier cuts of lamb should be roasted long and slow at a low temperature, while leaner cuts of meat should be cooked at a high temperature for the first several minutes and then at a lower temperature the rest of the time. Braising is a popular technique for cooking less-tender cuts of lamb.
Whether boneless or bone-in, the perfect leg of lamb should be either oven-roasted until blushing pink on the inside (with an internal temp around 130°F) or roasted long and slow for several hours until the meat is very tender and falls apart to internal temp around 175°F (I often use the slow cooker for that).
For the perfect roast lamb, we recommend seasoning the surface of the meat, and then searing it, especially fat side down in a pan before roasting. Why bother with searing? Contrary to some stories, searing is less about locking in moisture, and all about improving the flavour!
Place the lamb, fat side up, on a rack set in a roasting pan; spread garlic paste all over lamb. Roast in oven until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 135 degrees, for medium rare, about 2 hours.
Various cuts and cooking methods: Lamb's legs offer a range of cuts, including bone-in and boneless options. Popular cooking methods for lamb leg include roasting, grilling, and braising.
Baking soda / bi-carb and cornflour/cornstarch are the secret ingredients that tenderise the lamb meat. It's a technique called “velveting” that is used by Chinese restaurants, and it's the reason why the meat in your favourite Chinese dishes are always so soft.
Washing beef, pork, lamb, or veal before cooking it is not recommended. Bacteria in raw meat and poultry juices can be spread to other foods, utensils, and surfaces. We call this cross-contamination. Some consumers think they are removing bacteria and making their meat or poultry safe.
Trim the excess fat that lies beneath the fell, but leave enough to enrich the meat and gravy. It also crisps up nicely when broiled, which helps give the carved slices great texture. Use shears to trim the fat pads around the hip, or large end.
The big, bold Lamb flavor goes well with spices like coriander seeds, cumin, curry powder, harissa paste, garlic, rosemary, oregano, thyme, black pepper, chilly flakes, and mint. Spices compliment Lamb, but it also holds its flavor with just salt and pepper.
All the lamb needs is a sprinkle of salt and pepper, drizzle of olive oil. Add beef broth/stock and water into the pan (keeps everything all nice and moist + makes pan juices for gravy), cover then slow roast for 5 hours until tender and fall apart.
For a lean piece of meat, cook at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) for the first 15 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) to continue roasting — the meat will take about 25 minutes per pound to reach medium rare.
A lamb leg is classic. A 3-hour shoulder is excellent. But for the most succulent roast lamb of your life, slow-roast it for 12 hours in the oven overnight. Cooked at a very low temperature with plenty of braising liquid, you can set-and-forget without a worry.
Immediately putting this large cut of meat in the oven after removing it from the fridge can lead to uneven cooking and an even longer cooking time. To ensure a leg of lamb cooks evenly, remove it from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for an hour before cooking.
I like to season the leg of lamb the night before and leave it in the refrigerator. If you do not have the time, you can season it right before cooking. Combine the Izak spice and Ararat and season the leg of lamb on all sides while adding a generous amount of salt.
No matter how you decide to cook your beautiful cut of grass-fed lamb, seasoning is the essential first step. Start by setting your cut of lamb onto a wire rack set into a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle generously on all sides with kosher salt.
What do you soak lamb chops in? As you may already know, fat holds odors and flavors. Therefore, trimming as much fat as possible before cooking it's a great tip. To help in this process, it is recommended to soak the lamb chops in lemon water (or vinegar water) for 30 minutes.
Baste the meat 2-3 times during cooking. Using a turkey baster or a large spoon, scoop the juices up from the corner of the pan, and drizzle back over the top of the joint.
Place the leg of lamb in a roasting pan that just fits the leg. Place in your pre-heated oven and roast uncovered for about 10-15 minutes or until browned, then flip the leg and roast for another 10-15 minutes.
The length of time to rest your lamb depends on the size of your cut. A large roast should be rested for 10 – 20 minutes before you carve it.Smaller cuts, like cutlets and chops, should be rested for 5 minutes.
Slow cooking in liquid transforms tougher cuts of lamb into fork-tender meat. Neck, shoulder and belly, either diced or as whole joints, are the best cuts for slow cooking and need to be cooked for at least 2 hrs at 150C to soften the meat.
Slow cooking in liquid transforms tougher cuts of lamb into fork-tender meat. Neck, shoulder and belly, either diced or as whole joints, are the best cuts for slow cooking and need to be cooked for at least 2 hrs at 150°C to soften the meat.
The level of doneness for lamb largely comes down to personal preference. Pull it out of the oven too soon and it may be too undercooked and unappetizing for your taste. When cooked for too long, this tender cut can be quick to dry out. A deeply browned crust won't cut it for figuring out whether your lamb is finished.
Temperature is by far the most critical aspect of cooking lamb chops. Undercooking even tender lamb chops can render them unpleasantly chewy, while overcooking will lead to tough, dried-out meat. Rib chops should be cooked to about 130°F, while loin chops are better at 135°F or even 140°F.
Introduction: My name is Allyn Kozey, I am a outstanding, colorful, adventurous, encouraging, zealous, tender, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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