Our family finds itself searching for recipes that will be pleasing to everyone when we have dinner guests who are struggling with many allergies. Unfortunately, it seems to be quite common these days to have friends who cannot eat dairy, gluten, soy, etc., so we have to think about our options. This lamb roast is our go-to for non-vegetarians who also have a bunch of allergies. Served alongside beautiful heaping helpings of favorite vegetables, it is something that is met with smiles by most Yummies.
A leg of lamb roast is not as earthy as some cuts of lamb; it’s flavor is substantial but fairly mild at the same time. I know that some people, who will eat almost any other meat, refuse lamb. Give this cut a chance. It may be different from that heavier flavor you remember from, say, a lamb shank.
There is an additional benefit of making this roast with your Yummies. You get to put all of the ingredients in a big plastic bag and shake it all up and squish it around. Who doesn’t like to do that?
Roast Lamb with Citrus and Rosemary
*5-6 lb leg of lamb (boneless)
*1/4 c. olive oil
*2 T. fresh rosemary, chopped
*1 t. fresh thyme, chopped
*2 t. fresh mint, chopped
*juice of one small lemon
*juice of half an orange (or the juice of a whole mandarin as we used here)
*2 cloves of garlic, minced
*2 T. Yummies’ Dry Rub for Meat and Veggies or, in a pinch 2 t. paprika, 1 t. salt, and black pepper to taste
Together: in a large plastic zipper bag, combine all of the ingredients, placing the lamb in very last. Seal the bag very well, and let your mini-chef squish it around so that the ingredients completely cover and coat the lamb. Place the bag into a bowl and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.
Big Person: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Set out a roasting pan with a wire rack on top. Take the lamb out of the bag and place it on top of the rack. Put the pan into the oven and cook at 400 degrees for the first 25 minutes. Then, turn the oven down to 325 degrees F for the remaining cooking time, about 45 minutes. A meat thermometer should register 130 degrees when placed in the middle of the roast when the meat has been properly cooked.
Take the roast out of the oven and place on a cutting board. Wrap the the roast in foil and let it rest for 7-15 minutes so that the juices will not be lost. Slice and serve.
14/05/2010 at 3:18 pm Permalink
Your recipes look delicious; this with the potatoes at the bottom sound like a fabulous combination!
I'm curious as to how you got to NYC– is that where you're from? I'm also very into cooking, though I may be less creative than you
14/05/2010 at 5:40 pm Permalink
I'm not a big fan of lamb, but I often make it when I entertain as it tends to be a real crowd pleaser.
16/05/2010 at 9:41 pm Permalink
I have a similar recipe but it doesn't have the orange in it – I'm going to try this. I often use the oven cooking bags for lamb. Keeps it nice and moist because it's easy to dry it out if you don't cook it carefully.
16/05/2010 at 10:17 pm Permalink
yum!, three under two.
it freaks me out to cook in plastic. with all the research showing that plastic leaches very easily into whatever you're eating, i try to limit my use of plastic in the kitchen altogether. you could try wrapping the lamb in parchment and then foil during the second half of the cooking if you're worried about it drying out, and make sure that you let it rest after you pull it out of the oven.
17/05/2010 at 10:18 am Permalink
Yum yum ! Hungry I'm !
03/06/2010 at 8:50 pm Permalink
Good afternoon,
I’m an intern with Superior Farms and I noticed your great article on your preparation of lamb! We are kicking off the summer with our summer grilling promotion at http://www.GrillLamb.com. We’re giving away a Mediterranean cruise for two and promoting simple Mediterranean seasonings for lamb. We are hoping to get more lamb lovers this summer by highlighting delicious recipes and cooking tips. If you have any posts coming up, we would love to hear about them! Also, look for us on Facebook.
Thank you for your time!
Sincerely,
Lacie Hoffman