How to roast a lamb leg

Before you start:

1. Make sure you have enough trays and can fit them in the oven. As a minimum, you will need one oven tray for your meat. If you're also roasting vegetables, you'll need a second tray—or possibly two—depending on how many people you're feeding.
2. Plan ahead of time, so you know what has to go into the oven and when. The last thing you want is some of your food to go cold while you’re waiting for the rest to cook!
3. Take the lamb out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you put it in the oven. Never put cold meat into a hot oven. This will allow enough time for the lamb to come to room temperature and result in more even cooking.
4. Preheat your oven to 200°C fan bake.
5. Get your utensils ready. You’re going to need a roasting dish, paper towel, aluminum foil, thermometer or skewer, a board for resting the meat on and a carving knife. 

Preparation:

1. Pat the lamb dry with a paper towel. Using a sharp knife, score the top side of the lamb with shallow cuts, 3cm apart and place in a large roasting dish.
2. Combine herbs, garlic, a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the mixture all over the lamb and into the scored cuts. 
3. Place in the oven to bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 170°C and cook to your desired level. 
   
   When roasting lamb, it’s better to cook on the side of caution. Even if you like your lamb well done, you don’t want to leave it in the oven for so long that it becomes tough and chewy. Also, remember that if your lamb cut has the bone in, it will help to roast your lamb even faster.
   
   For rare: Cook for 50-60 minutes or until very soft and an internal temperature of 50°C 
   For medium-rare: Cook for 60-70 minutes or until soft and an internal temperature of 55°C 
   For medium: Cook for 70-80 minutes or until firm with a slight give and an internal temperature of 60°C
   For medium-well: Cook for 80-90 minutes or until firm and an internal temperature of 65°C
   For well done: Cook for 90-100 minutes or until very firm an internal temperature of 70°C   
4. Loosely cover with foil and set aside to rest for 15 minutes.
5. Carve against the grain to serve. 

How to tell when your roast lamb is cooked

You can always use a meat thermometer, and going by the recommended temperatures above you’ll know how cooked your lamb is.

Another test is to press firmly on the outside of the roast with your finger. If the meat is firm but there’s a bit of give, it’s probably medium rare, a firmer touchtells you your roast is well done.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes – but not too far ahead! Your lamb leg will stay warm for up to 1 hour, and the inside will remain warm even after about 3 hours. If serving with gravy, this will need to be heated before serving.

Notes from our Chef: 

Take your lamb out of the fridge 30-60 minutes before cooking so it can come up to room temperature.  

Cover your lamb with foil if browning too quickly and don’t forget to rest your lamb once cooked.  

Vegetables – Feel free to add extra vegetables into your meal, like steamed green beans, peas or corn. If you want to impress a crowd, you could try creating our Courgette, bean, peas and Massimo’s Bocconcini salad as an accompaniment. We also love the Roasted Garlic, Pine Nut and Mint Pesto on our Roasting Tips page.

Gravy – To make a simple gravy, you’ll just need about 4 tbsp of flour and 2 ½ cups of stock. Once you’ve removed the lamb from the roasting dish, place the dish on the stove over medium heat. Once the fat starts to bubble, add in flour, and cook for 1 minute. Next, pour in beef stock and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste, and simmer until sauce is the correct consistency. Strain into a bowl.

Leftovers – Roast lamb makes excellent leftovers! Delicious, cold and hot, it can be put into sandwiches, salads, and pastas. Our personal favourite is this Leftover roast lamb and kumara hash.