Some of our favorites include: Slow Roast Leg of Lamb and more!
Slow Roast Leg of Lamb
This Slow Roast Leg of Lamb recipe will be your new favorite way to cook and eat lamb – a succulent and stunning centerpiece for any occasion! It is easy, fool proof and forgiving, even if you’ve never cooked lamb before AND it can be prepped the day before then popped in the oven! The leg of lamb is seasoned with a garlic, rosemary, pepper wet rub, then roasted low and slow in the oven until the meat literally pulls right of the bone. It’s served with a rich, savory gravy laced with all of the tantalizing pan drippings
PREP TIME: 30 Minutes
COOK TIME: 3 Hours 30 Minutes
TOTAL TIME: 4 Hours
SERVINGS: 8 to 12
Section 1: Ingredients
LAMB
5-7 lb. leg of lamb center cut roast (bone-in)
1 whole head of garlic, unpeeled, cut in half horizontally
2 yellow onions, unpeeled, cut in half horizontally
4 cups reduced sodium beef broth
2 cups water
WET RUB
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (may sub brown sugar)
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 tsp EACH paprika, pepper
1/2 tsp EACH dried thyme, dried oregano, onion powder
GRAVY:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup flour
reduced sodium beef broth as needed (will use mostly pan juices)
Section 2: Directions
1. Dry lamb: Remove lamb from the packaging and place it on a cutting board. Pat completely dry with paper towels.
2. Bring to room temperature: Let lamb sit at room temperature for 60 minutes. Meanwhile, trim and score the lamb, prep the pan and make the wet rub and spread it over the lamb anytime in the 60-minute window (directions below).
3. Trim and score: Trim exess fat (trim fat cap to about 1/8-inch). Score the lamb on both sides in a crosshatch/checkerboard pattern by running a sharp knife along the lamb in one direction, cuts about 1-inch apart, 1/4-1/2-inch deep, then the other direction.
4. Prepare pan and oven: Add the onions and garlic to the center of a large roasting pan, cut side up. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
5. Season lamb: While the lamb is still on the cutting board, rub half of the wet rub all over the side of the lamb with the fat cap, making sure to massage into all the nooks and crannies from scoring. Don’t add the wet rub to the other side yet.
6. Add lamb to baking dish: Place the lamb, seasoned side down, in the pan so it’s propped up on the garlic and onions. Using your hands, rub the remaining wet rub all over the lamb.
7. Add broth and cover: Pour broth and water around the lamb. Cover with foil.
8. Slow roast: Bake at 325 degrees F for 3 hours. Check to see if the meat easily pulls from the bone with tongs after 3 hours. If not, continue to bake until tender.
9. Rest: Remove lamb and generoulsly spoon the pan juices over top. Transfer to serving platter and cover loosely with foil while you make the gravy.
GRAVY
1. Separate fat: Add the pan juices (remove onions, and garlic) to a gravy fat separator cup to skim off the fat when poured.
2. OR if you don’t have one, add the pan juices to a large freezer bag and allow the fat to separate to the top. Seal the bag and hold over a 3+ liquid measuring cup so that one bottom corner tip is facing down into the measuring cup like a spout. Make a small cut in this corner with scissors. The bottom liquid will flow through the cut, stop when you reach the fat.
3. Add broth to pan juices: Add pan juices to a 3+ cup liquid measuring cup. Add additional broth, only if needed, to equal 2 ½ cups; set aside.
4. Make roux: Melt butter in a large saucepan and melt over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly.
5. Add broth: Reduce heat to low and slowly whisk in the 2 ½ cups pan juices/broth. Bring to a simmer until thickened to desired consistency, whisking constantly. If it becomes too thick at any point, whisk in additional broth.
6. Season: Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste. Instead of salt, I suggest starting with beef bouillon, ¼ teaspoon at a time, before salting to taste.
SERVE
1. Remove the meat from the bone with tongs and serve with gravy!
NOTES
~ Prep Ahead: This leg of lamb roast is ideal to prep ahead of time. Prepare the recipe through rubbing the wet rub all over the lamb. Loosely tent with foil for up to 24 hours. Remove the leg of lamb from the fridge 60 minutes before cooking and then proceed with the recipe.
~ Storage: Leftover leg of lamb roast can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
~ To reheat: To microwave, reheat portions for 60 seconds, followed by 10-second intervals as needed. To reheat in the oven, transfer pulled lamb to foil and enclose with a splash of broth or water. Bake at 350ºF for 8-10 minutes or until warmed through. To reheat in a skillet, add pulled lamb to a skillet with a splash of water or broth. Cover and cook on low until warmed through, stirring occasionally.
Slow Cooker Leg of Lamb
This slow cooker leg of lamb recipe is super easy to make and produces tender lamb that will impress any guest. Perfect for holidays or Sunday dinner, you can also make this easy lamb recipe in the Instant Pot.
Total Time: 5 hours 10 minutes
Yield: 8-10 servings
Section 1: Ingredients
4–5 pound leg of lamb, fat trimmed
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon oil (to sear the meat, optional)
Rosemary Paste:
1/4 cup dried rosemary
1 tablespoon oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Section 2: Directions
Prepare The Lamb
1. In a small bowl, mix together the rosemary paste ingredients.
2. Rub the rosemary paste mixture evenly all over the lamb.
Slow Cooker
1. Optional sear: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the prepared lamb and sear evenly on all sides, approximately 3-5 minutes. Let cool to the touch.
2. Pour broth into the slow cooker. Add the prepared lamb.
3. Cook HIGH 4-5 hours or LOW 8-10.
Instant Pot
1. Turn the on the pressure cooker to saute. Once hot, add oil and the prepared lamb. Sear a few minutes on both sides until browned. You may need to cut your lamb into pieces to make it fit and you may need to do this in batches. Remove lamb and let cool.
2. Pour broth into the pressure cooker and deglaze by scraping off any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add the lamb back to the pot.
3. Select manual setting. Adjust to high pressure & and set time for 15-20 minutes per pound of meat (see note below).
4. When cooking time has completed, naturally for about 10 minutes, then quick release for remaining pressure.
Notes
~ The Instant Pot manual (https://instantpot.com/instantpot-cooking-time) recommends that you cook leg of lamb 15 minutes per pound of meat. I have found that I need at least 20 minutes per pound.
Leftover Leg of Lamb Gyros
Using leftover roast meat and warming it with herbs and seasonings means that the classic pita wrapped sandwich is just moments away. Adding all the fresh veg, tzatziki and next thing you know you have a tasty sandwich that is really a feast!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 4
Section 1: Ingredients
4 pita breads or flatbreads
Meat
1 2/3 cups or so of thinly sliced leftover roast lamb roast pork, roast chicken or roast beef
1-2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh chopped oregano or 1/4 tsp dried
3/4 tsp fresh chopped thyme or 1/4 tsp dried
3/4 tsp fresh chopped rosemary or 1/4 tsp dried
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt
pepper
lemon juice
Vegetables
1 large ripe tomato sliced
1 medium red onion sliced thinly
1/2 English cucumber sliced thinly
2 baby gems lettuces leaves separated
Tzatziki (made in advance and stored in the fridge; see Notes for Recipe)
Section 2: Directions
Warm the pita bread or flatbread
1. Warm the oven to 350F. Take a large piece of parchment paper and run it under the tap to dampen all over. Scrunch it together to take the crispness out of the paper and then wring it to get rid of the excess water. Pile the breads on top of each other and wrap the pile of bread with the parchment paper all around them, tucking the ends under. Place this into the warmed oven and warm, letting the steam from the parchment warm the bread through. After 10-15 minutes, depending on your oven, the paper will be dry, but the breads will be nice and soft inside. Remove from the oven. Keep wrapped till ready to use.
'Gyros' the Meat
1. Meanwhile prepare the meat by tossing the sliced meat in a bowl with olive oil, fresh herbs, cumin, and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper. Toss to coat the meat well.
2. Warm a skillet (or your grill and a grilling tray or basket) over medium high heat. Add the meat and warm it through. You don't need to cook this meat, since it is already cooked. Rather you are really only warming it through and giving it the flavour of gyros meat. Remove to a plate and drizzle with fresh lemon juice from 1/4 lemon or so.
3. Have the tomato, onion, cucumber sliced up. You can season them with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.
4. Have the Tzatziki sauce ready to go as well.
Assemble
1. Spread a little tzatziki all over the inside of the warmed pita bread. Layer some lettuce leaves down the middle of the pita bread. Then layer some of the meat, tomatoes, onion and cucumber over the meat. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and more tzatziki if you want. Wrap firmly and eat!
2. Feel free to use more than described above, or add other ingredients, such as listed below
Recipe Notes
Optional Additions
Hummus
Malfouf Salad (Lebanese coleslaw)
Tabbouleh
Tzatziki: can be made in advance and chilled
Tzatziki Ingredients
1 cup purchased plain labneh or plain skyr
1 Persian cucumber or any small cucumber , if you can't find one, then use 3-4 inches of a regular English cucumber. This will need to be peeled and the centre seeds removed
4-5 cloves of garlic depending on the size and your garlic tolerance!
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Fresh cracked black pepper
Kosher salt
Tzatziki Instructions
1. Place the labneh or skyr into a medium bowl.
2. Using the smallest holes of your grater, shred the persian cucumber up. It's perfectly alright if some of the skin makes its way in. Place the shredded cucumber in a cheesecloth or in several layers of paper towel and give them all a good squeeze to remove any excess liquid. Add to the labneh.
3. Finely mince the garlic cloves. Alternatively you can grate these as well. Transfer to a the labneh and cucumber.
4. Give it all a good stir.
5. Add the lemon juice, 1 tsp at a time, till you are happy with the consistency.
6. Add 1 1/2 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of pepper. Stir and then taste. Re-season with anything you'd like more of!
LAMB ‘GYROS’ BOWL
Avoiding carbs these days? Then why not turn all of the above into a ‘buddha’ bowl of sorts?! Just take all of the above ingredients that appeal to you, and fill a bowl, topping it all with crumbled feta, kalamata olives, even pomegranate arils etc. You won’t miss the pita bread at all, I promise. Or if you do want to add the pita, but don’t want to be holding it all in your hands, with the danger of all those juices dripping down your arms (these sammies can be quite messy, the more loaded the are!) just warm the pita, slice it into small triangles and use them to scoop up the tzatziki, hummus etc.
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