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    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    Oven Roasted Leg of Lamb

    Published: Apr 11, 2021 · Modified: Jun 30, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley

    314 shares
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    5 from 55 votes
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    pinterest image for oven roasted leg of lamb

    One of the easiest meals you can prepare is an Oven Roasted Leg of Lamb. Serve it up with baby potatoes and all you need is your favorite green vegetable to have a meal you’ll be talking about for weeks!

    Can you believe there was a time I didn’t enjoy lamb? It’s true. Until my visit to Ireland a few years ago, I had no idea that lamb could be that delicious.

    sliced leg of lamb with gravy along side whole baby potatoes and a sprig of rosemary on a white plate

    Tender and flavorful, without the gaminess I had dreaded that is often thought with lamb. The truth is, lamb has come a long way, especially lamb raised in the United States.

    A boneless oven-roasted leg of lamb (or bone-in if you prefer) couldn’t be easier to make and the lamb pan gravy that can be made from the drippings will make a weekend dinner a culinary event. So don’t wait to make this for Easter dinner, this roast will turn any night into a special occasion!

    What ingredients do I need to make an Oven Roasted Leg of Lamb?

    overhead view of ingredients to make oven roasted leg of lamb and potatoes

    Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make my Roasted Leg of Lamb. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.

    Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the up cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

    I used a 4.5 pound boneless leg of lamb for my recipe. You’ll find most boneless legs of lamb will weigh between 4-5 pounds. Adjust the temperature according to the weight of the lamb.

    Can I roast a bone in leg of lamb?

    Yes, you can. It just makes slicing the lamb more challenging. But a bone-in roast always seems more flavorful to me.

    *For a bone-in leg of lamb allow 20-25 per pound for a medium to medium-well roast.

    How do I season an Oven Roasted Leg of Lamb?

    leg of lamb coated with mustard and chopped garlic in a pan with baby potatoes around the roast

    Old habits die hard, and I like to coat many of the roasts I cook with a grain or dijon mustard before adding the layer of spices and herbs. You can use olive oil instead of mustard if you prefer.

    After coating the top of the roast (fat side up) with mustard, sprinkle the chopped garlic on top of the mustard. If you like garlic feel free to use more.

    I’m roasting my boneless leg of lamb with potatoes. You can also add additional vegetables if you have a bigger roasting pan. Carrots, onions and parsnips would make a nice addition.

    seasoned leg of lamb in a baking pan surrounded by baby potatoes

    Add the remainder of your seasonings to the top of the lamb. You can season the potatoes at this time as well, either using the lamb seasonings or just sea salt and black pepper. The fresh herbs I use for my herb mixture include fresh rosemary and thyme, but feel free to add your favorite herbs.

    *Let the roast come to room temperature before placing in the oven, this will ensure even roasting.

    roasted leg of lamb and potatoes in a baking dish

    Roast the lamb in a 350 degree preheated oven for one hour and 45 minutes for a 4.5-pound boneless leg of lamb. This will give you a medium-temperature roast with just a hint of pink in the meat.

    If you have a smaller or larger roast 15 minutes per pound will give you a medium-rare roast, and 20 minutes per pound will make it closer to medium- well. It’s important to use a meat thermometer to get the correct internal temperature of the lamb. Place the thermometer in the thickest part of the meat to get an accurate temperature.

    The internal temperature of the lamb roast will continue to rise 7-10 degrees after it comes out of the oven.

    *This is the instant-read meat thermometer that I use at home.

    **Allow the roast to rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing. This will let juices flow back into the meat.

    3 images showing how to make the lamb pan gravy

    While the leg of lamb is resting, make the pan gravy to serve with it.

    • Melt two tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan
    • Add two tablespoons of all-purpose flour to the butter and cook over medium to low heat for 3-4 minutes to cook off the raw flour taste.
    • Add the pan drippings to the roux, mixing with a wire whisk. The gravy should be very thick.
    • Add one cup of beef stock (you can also use chicken stock) to the pan and continue to whisk. If the gravy is too thick add more beef stock or water. If the gravy is too thin turn up the heat to high and allow it to reduce for 2-3 minutes.
    • Taste and reason the gravy as necessary. Simmer until ready to serve.
    roast leg of lamb and slices with whole baby potatoes on a white platter

    Now it’s time to slice the Oven Roasted Leg of Lamb. Place lamb on a cutting board and slice the roast against the grain.

    sliced leg of lamb with gravy along side whole baby potatoes and a sprig of rosemary on a white plate

    The meat was unbelievably tender, and mild flavored. It couldn’t have been any more delicious. The garlic, herbs and cracked black pepper along with the sea salt added so much to the lamb. And the pan gravy was perfectly seasoned and a delicious addition to the oven-roasted lamb. I honestly couldn’t stop eating it!

    If this is your first time making a roast lamb recipe, I promise it will come out perfectly as long as you use a meat thermometer. It’s really that easy.

    Recipe FAQ’s:

    Should I cover the leg of lamb while roasting?

    There is no need to cover a leg of lamb while roasting. If you’re slow-roasting a shoulder of lamb then you’d want to cover the roast.

    How long does a boneless leg of lamb take to cook?

    To roast the boneless leg of lamb to medium-rare should take about 70-90 minutes depending upon the size of your roast. The internal temperature of the roast at its thickest part should read 135-140ºF.

    Do I need to let the lamb roast rest before slicing?

    Yes; you do. The roast needs to rest a minimum of 15 minutes, up to 30 minutes is better. If you cut the roast without letting it rest, all the juices will run out of the roast making the meat dry and tough. Letting the roast rest, lets the juice flow back into the meat.

    More Lamb Recipes You’ll Love!

    • Stuffed Rack of Lamb – Restaurant Style Cooking at Home
    • Grilled Lamb Chops and Watermelon Feta Salad
    • Marinated Grilled Lamb Chops with a Mint Pesto
    • Braised Lamb Shank Recipe – O’Henry Hotel

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    sliced leg of lamb with gravy along side whole baby potatoes and a sprig of rosemary on a white plate
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    5 from 55 votes

    Oven Roasted Leg of Lamb and Potatoes

    When it comes to preparing lamb, simplicity is always best. Oven-roasted with a coating of grain mustard and chopped garlic, spices and fresh herbs, served with baby roasted potatoes and pan gravy, it's going to be a culinary event to remember!
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time1 hr 55 mins
    resting time for roasted lamb20 mins
    Total Time2 hrs 5 mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 355kcal
    Author: Chef Dennis Littley

    Ingredients

    Oven Roasted Leg of Lamb and Potatoes

    • 4.5 lb Leg of Lamb (boneless)
    • 1 tbsp grain mustard or dijon
    • 6 cloves garlic finely minced
    • 1 tbsp cracked black pepper
    • 1 tbsp sea salt coarse
    • 1 tbsp sweet paprika *use smoked paprika if you want a smoky flavor
    • 1 tbsp rosemary chopped
    • 1 tbsp thyme chopped
    • 16-18 Yukon Gold baby potatoes or your choice of potato
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • sea salt and black pepper to taste

    Lamb Pan Gravy

    • 2 tbsp butter
    • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (gluten-free flour works too)
    • pan juices from roasting
    • 1 cup beef stock (more if too thick)
    US Customary – Metric
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    Instructions

    Oven Roasted Leg of Lamb and Potatoes

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
    • Toss the potatoes with olive oil, sea salt and black pepper
    • Rinse and pat dry the leg of lamb.
    • Score the fat side with a sharp knife in a criss-cross pattern. Place the leg of lamb in the baking dish
    • Place the potatoes around the lamb in the baking dish
    • Rub the top of the lamb with grain mustard or olive oil
    • Sprinkle the minced garlic over the mustard trying to spread it out evenly.
    • Follow with the cracked black pepper, sea salt, paprika, thyme and rosemary. Sprinkling each over the surface of the lamb. Then pat them down into the mustard.
      It's okay to get some on the potatoes.
    • Place the pan in the oven and roast for 1 hour and 45 minutes for a medium leg of lamb.
      This for a 4.5 lb boneless leg of lamb.
    • Remove the lamb from the oven. My thermometer read 150 degrees which gave me a medium-cooked leg of lamb.
      For medium-rare, remove the lamb at 140 degrees. For well-done remove the lamb at 160 degrees.
      These are estimates.
    • Allow the roasted lamb to rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing to allow the juices to settle back into the meat.

    Lamb Pan Gravy

    • Melt butter in a small saucepan
    • Add flour to the butter and cook over medium to low heat for 3-4 minutes to cook off the raw flour taste.
    • Add pan juices to the roux, mixing with a wire whisk. The gravy shiould be very thick.
    • Add beef stock to the pan and continue to whisk. If the gravy is too thick add more beef stock or water. If the gravy is too thin turn up the heat to high and allow it to reduce for 2-3 minutes.
    • Taste and reason the gravy as necessary.
    • Serve and enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 1061mg | Potassium: 1050mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 578IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 5mg
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    About Chef Dennis

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    Chef Dennis is a semi-retired Chef, writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis aka Ask Chef Dennis®. Chef Dennis worked professionally in White Table Cloth Restaurants for 40 years and has been developing easy to make, restaurant-style recipes since 2009. The second phase of his reinvention from chef to blogger has earned him a place at the Worlds Dinner Table. Join him on his Culinary Journey enjoying his easy to make Restaurant Style recipes and travel adventures. For more details, check out his About page.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Aleta

      April 18, 2021 at 5:09 pm

      5 stars
      Whoa, this looks absolutely delicious! Love all those herbs and potatoes, plus the gravy… yummmmmm!!!

      Reply
    2. kushigalu

      April 18, 2021 at 11:06 am

      5 stars
      Never roasted lamb before. Thanks for all the tips. Sounds so delicious and flavorful. Pinned to make this soon.

      Reply
    3. Jenny

      April 18, 2021 at 9:09 am

      5 stars
      Beautiful recipe, as usual, Chef! It is similar to the Greek way of making a leg of lamb, but the gravy is different. Greek Easter is coming up, and I am going with your recipe for Easter Sunday! Thanks so much!

      Reply
      • Loreto and Nicoletta

        April 18, 2021 at 8:08 pm

        5 stars
        This is one beautiful meal. Love the whole potatoes so crispy on the surface and just luscious inside. Now lets talk about your lamb. I am having this sensation of the lamb just melting on my tongue. Incredible, so glad you found your love of lamb in Ireland! Well done!❤😋😍🥰👌👍

        Reply
    4. Raquel

      April 17, 2021 at 9:51 am

      5 stars
      Thank you for all the tips as I have never roasted lamb before. Delicious with the gravy too!

      Reply
    5. Kathryn

      April 16, 2021 at 8:20 pm

      This makes such an incredible meal! So easy and satisfying when you want a comforting meal. The lamb and potatoes are so tender and delicious together!

      Reply
    6. Tammy

      April 16, 2021 at 4:04 pm

      Wow wow wow this looks incredible, Dennis! Perfect recipe to make for Greek Easter..so flavorful!

      Reply
    7. Colleen

      April 16, 2021 at 1:45 pm

      5 stars
      We love a roast lamb but never think to make one. Now I have weekend plans and a great step x step recipe. Thank you!

      Reply
    8. Swathi

      April 14, 2021 at 9:01 am

      5 stars
      Oven roasted lamb leg looks perfect Love this kind of meal during weeknights.

      Reply
    9. Luke Ratford

      April 13, 2021 at 2:59 pm

      5 stars
      Superb, you can’t beat a good leg of lamb and this was fantastic 🙂

      Reply
    10. Sharon

      April 13, 2021 at 10:33 am

      5 stars
      This lamb dinner reminds me of Sundays at my grandmother’s house as a kid. I love the pan gravy with it.

      Reply
    11. Addison

      April 12, 2021 at 9:36 pm

      5 stars
      This is true comfort food! So hearty and flavorful.

      Reply
    12. Kim Guzman

      April 12, 2021 at 8:34 pm

      5 stars
      Such a delicious looking recipe, perfect for a holiday. Can’t wait to try it.

      Reply
    13. Sue

      April 12, 2021 at 10:16 am

      5 stars
      This looks very straightforward for a delicious meal! This will make a great special occasion meal!

      Reply
    14. Kristina Tipps

      April 12, 2021 at 5:11 am

      5 stars
      My family loved this recipe. I used the Smokey paprika and it was delicious!

      Reply
    15. Alexandra

      April 12, 2021 at 3:00 am

      5 stars
      This made for the most delicious and comforting dinner.

      Reply
    16. Marcellina

      April 12, 2021 at 2:41 am

      5 stars
      This is making me so hungry! I don’t cook a lot of lamb but this makes me want to change that. Delicious flavors and easy enough for everyone to try. Thanks for sharing, Chef Dennis!

      Reply
    17. Freya

      April 12, 2021 at 1:18 am

      Delicious! This was the perfect recipe for Easter!

      Reply
    18. Bri

      April 11, 2021 at 11:19 pm

      5 stars
      Love this!

      Reply

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