Roast Leg of Lamb Recipe

By
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich is a food writer, recipe video producer, and culinary school instructor with more than 20 years of experience in the food industry.
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Updated on 11/13/23
Roast Leg of Lamb on a platter

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 75 mins
Marinating Time: 6 hrs
Total: 7 hrs 35 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings

Roast leg of lamb is one of the easiest "special occasion" recipes there is. The simple herb, lemon, and garlic marinade is all this great cut of lamb needs before it’s roasted to pink perfection.

The meat should come tied up, if not, have the butcher tie it for roasting.

What You’ll Need To Make This Lamb Recipe
Best roasting pans on The Spruce Eats
A Dependable Roasting Pan
ThermoPro TP20 Wireless Meat Thermometer
A Wireless Meat Thermometer
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A Sharp Chef's Knife
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Ingredients

  • 1 (5- to 6- pound) leg of lamb, boneless, tied up

  • 2 lemons, juiced

  • 6 cloves garlic, crushed

  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary

  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • Kosher salt, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Roast Leg of Lamb ingredients in bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  2. Combine all the ingredients, except for the olive oil and salt, in a large bowl.

    Herbs in a bowl next to a Leg of Lamb

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  3. Rub the leg of lamb thoroughly with the marinade until coated. You may even push some herbs and garlic into any cracks and crevices.

    Herb covered leg of lamb on a platter

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  4. Place the lamb in a plastic bag, and marinade in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 6 hours.

    Leg of lamb and herbs in a plastic bag

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  5. Remove the lamb from the fridge, and let sit out for 45 minutes to come up to room temperature.

    Leg of lamb and herbs in a plastic bag

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  6. Remove the lamb from the marinade and place on a rack in a large roasting pan. Rub with the olive oil, and season very generously with the salt. Keep the side with the most fat facing up. Preheat oven to 450 F.

    Leg of lamb in a roasting pan

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  7. Roast for 15 minutes in the preheated oven to begin browning the surface.

    Roasted leg of lamb in a roasting pan

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  8. Then reduce the oven to 315 F and roast for approximately 10 minutes per pound (for a 5 to 6 pound leg this will be about an hour). The best method for checking the doneness is using a digital meat thermometer and removing the lamb when the internal temp reaches 135 F. This will give you a nice pink and juicy roast.

    Roasted leg of lamb in a roasting pan, with a thermometer

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  9. Let the lamb rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing. It is best sliced thin, against the grain of the meat.

    Roast Leg of Lamb sliced on a platter

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Tip

  • While the meat is resting, you can pour off the fat from the roasting pan, place it over a medium flame, and deglaze the browned bits on the bottom with a cup of water, or stock. Simply scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula while the liquid simmers, until all the caramelized juices have dissolved. Pour this over the sliced lamb when served.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
947 Calories
58g Fat
15g Carbs
88g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 947
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 58g 75%
Saturated Fat 24g 119%
Cholesterol 316mg 105%
Sodium 267mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 6%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 88g
Vitamin C 64mg 318%
Calcium 77mg 6%
Iron 8mg 43%
Potassium 1292mg 27%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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