Rosemary and Garlic Butter Lamb Leg Recipe

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Rosemary and Garlic Butter Lamb Leg

This is the kind of roast that does all the hard work for you. A leg of lamb, rubbed with rosemary garlic butter, then slow-roasted over potatoes and onions until the meat is falling apart and the pan juices are seriously good.

Use a large MAKO roasting pan or deep oven-safe pan so there is plenty of room for the lamb, potatoes and all those rich juices.

PREP TIME

15 minutes

COOK TIME

4 hours 50 minutes

SERVES

6

Ingredients

For the potatoes:
8 all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into thick wedges
2 onions, peeled and cut into thick wedges
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp sea salt flakes
¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper

For the lamb:
2.5 kg bone-in leg of lamb
Sea salt flakes, for seasoning
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
50 g unsalted butter, softened
2 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
2 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped
1 tbsp dried oregano
80 ml extra-virgin olive oil
500 ml chicken stock
Juice of 1 large lemon
60 ml dry white wine
Lemon wedges, to serve

METHOD

1. Get the potatoes started

Preheat the oven to 170°C conventional or 150°C fan-forced. Add the potatoes and onions to a large roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then toss everything together.

2. Make the rosemary garlic butter

Add the softened butter, garlic, rosemary, oregano and olive oil to a small bowl. Mix until you have a rough, spoonable herb butter.

3. Rub the lamb

Place the lamb on top of the potatoes and onions. Season generously with sea salt flakes and black pepper. Spoon over the rosemary garlic butter, then use your hands to massage it all over the lamb. Do not worry if some of it falls onto the potatoes. That is only going to make them better.

4. Add the flavour

Pour the chicken stock, lemon juice and white wine around the lamb. Keep the liquid away from the top of the lamb so you do not wash off that butter and herb coating.

5. Slow roast until tender

Cover the pan tightly with a lid, or baking paper followed by a double layer of foil. Roast for 4½ hours, until the lamb is tender enough to pull apart easily with two forks. If it still needs more time, cover again and cook in 30-minute intervals until properly fork-tender.

6. Turn up the heat

Increase the oven to 240°C conventional or 220°C fan-forced. Baste the lamb with the pan juices, then return it to the oven uncovered for 20 minutes, until golden and deeply caramelised. Add 125 ml water to the pan if the juices have reduced too much.

7. Rest, then serve

Rest the lamb loosely covered with foil for at least 10 minutes. Serve with the potatoes, onions, pan juices and lemon wedges.

Tip:

Want the potatoes extra golden? Lift the lamb out to rest, spoon most of the juices into a jug, then return the potatoes and onions to the oven for another 20 minutes. You will get crisp edges, caramelised onions and all the good stuff still ready to drizzle over the lamb.