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Close up of sliced medium-rare leg of lamb showing the herb-rubbed crust and juicy pink center.
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4.92 / 25 votes

Italian Roast Leg of Lamb with Garlic and Rosemary

This Tuscan style roast leg of lamb is made in traditional Italian fashion with a garlic, rosemary, lemon, and olive oil marinade before being roasted until perfectly tender. Easy and elegant.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time6 hours
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Calories: 502

Ingredients

For the marinade

  • 5 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
  • finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • one 7-pound semi-boneless leg of lamb, with leg bone

For the lamb

  • 1 lemon, cut into thin rounds
  • Fresh rosemary sprigs, to garnish
US - Metric

Instructions

Make the marinade

  • On a cutting board, coarsely chop the crushed 5 garlic cloves. Sprinkle with the 2 teaspoons sea salt and then finely chop and, using the flat side of the knife, smear the garlic and salt into a coarse paste.
  • Add the 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh rosemary and finely grated zest of 1 lemon and continue chopping and scraping until well combined. Scoop into a small bowl and stir in the 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, and 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper to make a thin paste. (Alternatively, you can purée all of the ingredients in a mini food processor.)
  • Place the one 7-pound semi-boneless leg of lamb on a large rimmed baking sheet. Using the tip of a small sharp knife, pierce the lamb about 15 times, making slits about 1 inch (25 mm) wide and deep all over the lamb.
  • Using a small spoon and your fingertips, fill each slit with some of the rosemary paste. Slather the remaining rosemary paste all over the lamb. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour to remove its chill before cooking.

Roast the lamb

  • Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
  • Place the lamb in a large roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes.
  • Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the lamb (not touching a bone) reads 130°F (54°C) for medium rare, about 1 1/4 hours. During the last 20 minutes of roasting, arrange the lemon slices on top of the lamb.
  • Move the lamb to a carving board and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Set the lemon slices aside.
  • Using the leg bone as a handle, carve the lamb by slicing vertically along the roast in the boneless area, then parallel to the bone in the shank section.
  • Arrange the slices on a platter and pour the carving juices on top. Garnish with the Fresh rosemary sprigs and slices of 1 lemon and serve.

Notes

  1. Pierce the meat—Making slits in the lamb allows you to rub the paste deeper into the meat for deeper flavor.
  2. Use a meat thermometer—Shoot for 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare for the ultimate flavor.
  3. Rest, rest, rest—Even lamb needs to dose a bit. Fifteen to 20 minutes are enough for a moist roast.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 502kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 69g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 213mg | Sodium: 983mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g