Oven Roasted Leg of Lamb Recipe [+ Video] - Savory Nothings (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to cook a leg of lamb and at what temperature should it be cooked? ›

Roast for 20 mins. Lower the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and cook for another 15-20 mins per 500g (1 hr – 1 hr 20 mins for 2kg leg) depending on how pink you like your lamb. You can also check the internal temperature of the lamb if you prefer pinker meat – it will be 55C for medium (pink) and 70C for well done.

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!

And when you have a gorgeous cut, like a rack of lamb, you can cook it the good ol' Gordon Ramsay way—which is to say, lightly pan-sear it first, then baste it with an herby, garlicky butter, and finally finish it off in the oven until it's still pink and juicy in the middle. It comes out perfectly every time.

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).

Roast leaner cuts of lamb in a hotter oven (450°F) to get a lovely brown crust and a well-cooked center; cook fattier cuts of lamb low and slow (325°F) to render all the fat and allow the lamb to cook in its juices. Due to residual heat, your lamb will continue to cook even after you pull it out of the oven.

The lamb is ready when the temperature is 135°F or above.

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.

Admittedly, searing isn't strictly necessary for the cooking process. Technically speaking. The meat will cook just fine without searing. (And any surface bacteria will die during cooking anyway.)

Yes, lamb meat can become more tender the longer you cook it, but it depends on the cut of lamb. Here's a breakdown of how different cuts of lamb respond to cooking: Lamb Shank: When cooked low and slow, lamb shanks become more tender as long as they don't dry out.

Fresh rosemary, fresh garlic, lemon zest, black pepper, and salt are simple but amazing flavors that pair amazingly with the lamb! Each of these ingredients adds its unique warmth and depth to enhance the flavor of the dish.

What makes lamb taste better? ›

It's such a distinctive flavor that it pairs well with nice, strong spices, as well as herbs. Coriander, fennel, garlic, shallot, ginger, lemon peel --I think those work really nicely with lamb. There are other herbs that are traditionally paired with lamb, like mint.

Lamb shouldn't be super lean. Fat produced from grass creates a lovely flavoursome addition to the meat. Lamb's robust flavour takes well to being seared and charred.

This method allows the roast to cook evenly and slowly, preventing it from drying out. Braising: Braising involves searing the lamb leg roast in a hot pan and then cooking it slowly in liquid (such as stock or wine) in a covered dish. The moist heat from the liquid helps keep the roast moist and tender.

Lamb should be roasted 20 mins per 450g/lb, plus an extra 20 mins. Weigh meat prior to roasting to determine cooking times. Cook at 220C/200C fan for the first 20 mins and then 190C/170C fan for the remaining time.

Mean temperature of Merino lambs was found to be 102.8°F with a range of 100.2°– 104.0°F while the mean temperature of Shropshire lambs was 102.7°F with a range of 101.2°–104.4°F.