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boneless leg of lamb, half sliced with knife in front of it and fresh green herbs to left; small condiment bowl of salt behind it

Roasted Boneless Leg of Lamb with Garlic-Herb Rub

Contributor: Emily Paster

Boneless leg of lamb is a flavorful and easy-to-prepare cut that makes a stunning centerpiece for a holiday dinner or other special occasion. One of my favorite things about preparing boneless leg of lamb is that you naturally end up with meat of different degrees of doneness – perfect when feeding a crowd!

  • Author: Emily Paster
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Rest Time: 2 hours
  • Cook Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Category: Entrée
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 lemon
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed oregano leaves
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt plus more for seasoning
  • 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper plus more for seasoning
  • 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 34 lbs. boneless leg of lamb

Instructions

  1. Zest and juice the lemon.
  2. Combine the garlic, parsley, oregano, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to combine.
  3. With the motor running, slowly pour in the olive oil in a steady stream and process until the mixture forms a coarse paste. Set aside.
  4. Unwrap the leg of lamb and remove the mesh netting, if there is one. Lay the lamb flat on your work surface with the inside of the leg of lamb facing up. (That is the side without the cap of fat and where the bone used to be.)
  5. Spread approximately â…” of the garlic-herb rub on the inside of the leg of lamb.
  6. Cut three long pieces of kitchen twine and have them handy.
  7. Starting with one of the short sides, roll the lamb up tightly with the garlic-herb rub on the inside.
  8. Tie the lamb using the twine at 2-inch intervals to keep it closed.
  9. Use additional pieces of twine as needed to keep the roast together.
  10. Rub the remaining garlic-herb mixture on the outside of the lamb.
  11. Place the lamb in a baking dish or on a plate and cover it. Refrigerate the lamb for at least one hour and up to overnight.
  12. When ready to cook, remove the lamb from the refrigerator and bring it up to room temperature.
  13. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
  14. Place the lamb in a roasting pan that fits it snugly and season the outside with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
  15. Roast the lamb at 450°F for 30 minutes. Then turn the heat down to 375°F and rotate the roasting pan 180°.
  16. Continue roasting the lamb until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 125 to 130°F for medium-rare, an additional 30 to 45 minutes.
  17. Allow the lamb to rest for 10 minutes prior to carving. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise another 10 to 15 degrees as it rests.
  18. Carve the lamb across the grain into thin slices. Serve immediately.

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