Lamb Cooking Doneness: Roasted Leg of Lamb (+Tips For Lamb Cooking Methods!)
Knowing the levels of lamb cooking doneness will help you prepare lamb so that it is perfectly tender and flavorful without being overdone! Take a look at this post to learn the ideal internal temperatures of lamb for achieving the different levels of doneness from rare to well-done. I've also featured useful tips and tricks for roasting lamb, no matter the cut!
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Instructions
Sear Lamb
Before starting, set the lamb leg out for 30 minutes to an hour to take the chill off and bring it to room temperature for best results while roasting.
Rinse and pat the lamb leg dry using paper towels. Trim any excess fat, if needed. Score the upward facing fatty layer in a criss-cross pattern using a (not too sharp) knife without going so deep that you cut into the lamb meat.
Apply the olive oil and season generously with salt & pepper - use kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper for best taste.
Place your seasoned lamb into a roasting pan with a rack inside and set your oven to 450°F (232°C). Move the oven rack down if needed, then place the lamb into your oven while it heats. Roast for 8 minutes per side once the oven reaches 450°F (232°C) then remove from the oven.
Make Herb Rub
While your lamb is roasting, mix the rub ingredients by placing into a food processor or blender. Then, puree or pulse until well combined. Set aside.
Roast Lamb
Next, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (163°C) while you allow the lamb to cool enough so that you can apply the rub. Add the broth, potatoes, onion, garlic, rosemary, and bay leaves (remove the roasting rack, if necessary).
Sprinkle combined seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika if using) over the potatoes before returning the lamb and roasting rack over the veggies.
Apply the mixed herb rub liberally and generously over the entire surface of the lamb leg, massaging the herbs into all areas of the meat.
Return the lamb to the oven at the reduced temperature and roast for 25 minutes per pound for medium (with an internal temp of 135-145°F) or until desired doneness (*see note).
Cover loosely with aluminum foil and rest for 20-30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Roasting times for different levels of doneness:
Rare: 15 minutes per pound- internal temp of 125°F (52°C)
Medium-rare: 20 minutes per pound- internal temp of 130-135°F (55°C-57°C)
Medium: 25 minutes per pound- internal temp of 135-140°F (57°C-60°C)
Done/Well Done: 30 minutes per pound- internal temp of 140°F+ (60°C+)
Fall Off The Bone Tender: 40 minutes per pound- internal temp of 175°F+ (179°C+)
When buying your lamb, avoid buying mutton. It is an older and tougher type of meat.
You can ask your butcher to trim the thick layer of fat for you, if desired.
Resting the lamb is essential in allowing all the juices to redistribute throughout the meat before slicing, do not skip this step.