Best Roasted Leg of Lamb (with a Fresh Mint-Parsley Sauce!)

The Butcher’s & The Garden’s Best: The Essential Ingredients

This iconic dish uses a handful of high-quality ingredients and one crucial tool to create its signature rich and savory flavor.

• The Lamb (The Star of the Show!):
  • Bone-in Leg of Lamb: For the absolute most flavorful and juicziest result, it is essential to use a bone-in leg of lamb. The bone adds an incredible, deep flavor and helps the meat to stay wonderfully moist as it roasts.
• The Aromatic Herb Rub: The secret to the deep, complex, and aromatic crust is making your own.
  • Fresh Herbs: It is absolutely essential to use fresh rosemary and thyme. Their vibrant, fragrant essential oils are the key to the incredible, aromatic flavor.
• The Fresh Mint-Parsley Sauce (The “Secret Weapon”!):
  • An Herb Explosion: This isn’t a heavy, cooked gravy, but a vibrant, fresh condiment. A huge amount of fresh parsley and mint forms the base, blended with garlic, red wine vinegar, and olive oil for a zesty, pungent kick. It’s the perfect, bright counterpoint to the rich, savory lamb.
• The Key Equipment (A Meat Thermometer!):
  • An Instant-Read Thermometer: This is the single most important, non-negotiable tool for a perfect roast. Because a leg of lamb is an expensive cut of meat, an instant-read meat thermometer is the only 100% foolproof way to guarantee that your roast is cooked to your desired, perfect temperature without any guesswork.

The Roasting Masterclass: The Secret to a Perfectly Juicy Roast

This recipe uses a few simple but brilliant professional techniques that guarantee a flawless, impressive result.

1. Room Temperature is Key: A crucial, professional step! By letting your large roast sit at room temperature for an hour, you are allowing the chill from the refrigerator to come off. This is the key that will help your roast to cook much more quickly and, most importantly, evenly.
2. The “Reverse Sear” Method: This is the brilliant, modern, and foolproof secret to a perfect, edge-to-edge, rosy-pink interior. By cooking the roast “low and slow” first in a very gentle, 325°F oven, you are slowly and evenly bringing the entire roast up to your target temperature. The final, quick blast of high heat at the end is simply to create the beautiful crust, without overcooking the perfectly pink meat inside.
3. Trust Your Thermometer (Pull at 125°F!): You must pull your roast from the oven when your instant-read thermometer registers $125^{\circ}F$ to $130^{\circ}F$. The roast will continue to cook as it rests. This “carryover cooking” is the key that will bring it to a perfect 145°F (medium) while it rests, guaranteeing an incredibly juicy and tender result.
4. Rest, Rest, REST!: You must let your finished roast rest for at least 15-20 minutes before you slice into it. This crucial, patient step allows the hot, delicious juices to relax and redistribute throughout the entire roast.

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Step-by-Step to the Perfect Roasted Leg of Lamb

This elegant, festive meal is a joy to prepare.

Part 1: The Art of the Aromatic Herb Rub

Step 1: First, let your 6- to 7-pound leg of lamb rest at room temperature for 1 hour. Preheat your oven to 325°F ($163^{\circ}C$). Set a wire rack inside a foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet.

Step 2: In a small bowl, stir together your 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary, 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh thyme, 1/4 cup of the olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of the grated garlic.

Step 3: Pat your leg of lamb dry with paper towels. Use a small paring knife to score the fatty top of the lamb. Rub the herb-garlic mixture all over the lamb. Season it generously with 5 teaspoons of the kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of the black pepper.

Step 4: Place the lamb on your prepared wire rack.

Part 2: The “Low and Slow” Roast and Final Sear

Step 1: Bake the roast in your preheated 325°F oven for 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Step 2 (The Most Important Step!): Start checking the internal temperature. You will know the roast is ready for the next step when your instant-read thermometer inserted into the very center registers $125^{\circ}F$ to $130^{\circ}F$.

Step 3: Let the roast rest for 30 minutes.

Step 4: Meanwhile, increase your oven temperature to 450°F ($232^{\circ}C$).

Step 5: Return your rested lamb to the hot oven and cook for 10 to 15 more minutes, until the roast is beautifully browned and a crust has formed.

Step 6: Transfer the roast to a cutting board and let it rest for another 15 minutes before you slice it.

Part 3: The Vibrant Mint-Parsley Sauce

While your lamb is resting, in a food processor, pulse your 2 cups of fresh parsley, 1 cup of fresh mint, 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of grated garlic for about 20 seconds.

With the machine running, gradually pour in the remaining 1 cup of olive oil and process until the sauce is blended. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt.

To serve, use a large, sharp carving knife to thinly slice the lamb against the grain. Serve the beautiful, rosy slices with the vibrant, fresh herb sauce.

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Best Roasted Leg of Lamb (with a Fresh Mint-Parsley Sauce!)

A classic showstopper recipe for a holiday meal, this Herb-Crusted Roasted Leg of Lamb is tender, juicy, and full of flavor. A bone-in leg of lamb is scored and coated in a fragrant rub of fresh rosemary, thyme, and garlic. It’s slow-roasted at a low temperature and then finished with a high-heat roast to create a crispy crust. The roast is served with a fresh, vibrant parsley-mint sauce.

• Author: Grace

Ingredients

• 1 (6- to 7-lb.) bone-in leg of lamb, trimmed
• 1 1/4 cups olive oil, divided
• 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 1 Tbsp. plus 1/2 tsp. grated garlic (from 4 cloves), divided
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 6 tsp. kosher salt, divided
• 2 cups loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
• 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Instructions

1. Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.
2. Score the fatty top of the lamb 5 times (1/4 inch deep and 4 inches long).
3. In a small bowl, stir together the fresh rosemary, thyme, 1/4 cup of the olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of the grated garlic to create a paste.
4. Rub the herb mixture all over the lamb. Season the lamb all over with 1 teaspoon of black pepper and 5 teaspoons of the kosher salt.
5. Place the lamb on the wire rack. Let it stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Cook the lamb until a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of the meat (avoiding the bone) registers 125°F to 130°F, about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
7. Remove the lamb from the oven and let it rest on the rack for 30 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, increase the oven temperature to 450°F. Return the rested lamb to the hot oven and cook until the meat is browned and a crust has formed, about 10 to 15 minutes.
9. Remove the lamb from the oven and let it rest on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
10. Make the Parsley-Mint Sauce: While the lamb rests, add the parsley, mint, red wine vinegar, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of garlic to a food processor and pulse for 20 seconds until roughly chopped.
11. With the food processor running, gradually pour in the remaining 1 cup of olive oil until the sauce is blended. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt.
12. Slice the rested lamb against the grain and serve with the herb sauce.

Notes

• This is a showstopper main course that is perfect for a special holiday dinner like Christmas or Easter.
• Letting the roast sit at room temperature for 1 hour before cooking is a crucial step that helps it to cook more evenly.
• The recipe uses a ‘reverse sear’ method—slow-roasting first and then finishing at a high heat—to ensure a tender interior and a crispy crust.
• Resting the roast *twice* (once after the low-temp roast and again after the high-heat finish) is essential for the juices to redistribute, ensuring the meat is moist and tender.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

• Make-Ahead: This is the perfect make-ahead holiday meal! You can prepare the Mint-Parsley Sauce up to 2 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator (be sure to press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent it from browning).
• Storage: Store any leftover lamb, well-wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• The Best Leftovers: Thinly sliced, leftover lamb makes the absolute best sandwiches!

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Frequently Asked questions (FAQs)

Q1: Why is my lamb tough?

The most common culprit is overcooking. Lamb is a delicate meat that is best served medium-rare to medium. The only 100% foolproof way to prevent a tough, overcooked roast is to use an instant-read thermometer and to pull it from the oven when it reaches 125-130°F, as this recipe directs.

Q2: Do I have to let it rest at room temperature first?

Yes! This is a crucial, professional step for a large roast. It takes the chill off the meat, which is the key that allows it to cook much more evenly.

Q3: What if I don’t have a food processor?

If you don’t have a food processor, you can absolutely make both the rub and the sauce by hand! You will just need to mince your herbs, garlic, and shallots very, very finely with a sharp knife, and then whisk them together with the other ingredients in a bowl.

Q4: Can I use a boneless leg of lamb?

You can, but a bone-in leg is highly recommended for the best, most flavorful and juicy result. If you do use a boneless leg of lamb, you will need to significantly reduce the roasting time, so be sure to start checking the internal temperature much earlier.

Q5: What internal temperature should I aim for?

This recipe is written for a final temperature of $145^{\circ}F$ (medium). To achieve this, you must pull your roast from the low oven when the internal temperature registers $125^{\circ}F$ to $130^{\circ}F$. The temperature will then continue to rise to a perfect 145°F as it rests.