Lamb Roast Recipe for Spring
For spring, and especially Easter, lamb is a traditional and delectable dish for the table! Follow these step-by-step instructions and make a slow roasted leg of lamb for the ultimate party centerpiece. It is slow roasted with mint and mustard sauces, mixing California and Southern flavors! This recipe serves between 6 and 8 people.
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Lamb Roast Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless leg of lamb
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1½ tablespoons salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2–4 cups white wine (or combination wine and water)
- ½ cup Dijon mustard, for the sauce
Cooking Prep
Marinate the lamb at least 3 hours before cooking. If you want to serve a bone-in leg, allow a bit of extra cooking time. This marinade is also good for chicken, fish, and shrimp. If your roast is larger than 3 pounds, roast 20 minutes per pound, or to internal temperature of 135°F for medium-rare.
Directions
- Tie the leg of lamb with butcher’s twine and place in a shallow dish. Stir together the olive oil, garlic, smoked paprika, salt, rosemary, pepper, and sugar, and rub over the lamb (if you have a nice, fatty leg of lamb, trim the fat to ¼-inch and score the fat at 1-inch intervals to allow the rub to penetrate). Refrigerate for 3 hours or longer, and remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Place the lamb on a rack in a small roasting pan and place in the bottom third of the oven for 15 minutes. Pour enough wine into the roasting pan to be about ¼-inch deep. Reduce heat to 300°F and roast for 60 to 80 minutes, or until the lamb reaches an internal temperature of 135°F for medium-rare. Add more water or wine as needed to maintain the ¼-inch depth of liquid. Remove the lamb from the oven and from the pan, loosely cover with foil, and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
- While the lamb is resting make the mustard sauce: Pour all the juices into a small saucepan, scraping up the bits from the bottom of the pan. You should have about 1 cup. Whisk in the Dijon mustard and warm to serve.
Mint Sauce Ingredients
- 2 cups mint leaves
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 jalapeño pepper, roasted, seeded, and chopped (optional)
- ¼ cup balsamic or red wine vinegar
Directions
Chop the mint leaves with the sugar, salt, and chopped pepper (if using) until very fine, place in a bowl, and stir in the vinegar. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Get this recipe and more from California Cooking and Southern Style.
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