Main Courses

Leg of Lamb

If you are looking for an easy main course to serve for a holiday for you and your family then look no further than a beautiful and elegant leg of lamb. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to cook and the amount of flavor this produced! Oddly enough, a leg of lamb is one of the easiest and most foolproof cuts of meat that there is to cook.

Jump to Recipe
Prep
15 min
Cook
1 hr 30 min
Total
2 hrs 30 min
Serves
6-8

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400F.
  2. Pat dry the leg of lamb then place it onto a baking tray, fat side down. Score the fat with shallow holes for later.
  3. Onto a cutting board begin to mash up the garlic with 1 tbsp of salt. You may need additional salt to turn it into a paste but keep using the knife to press down on the garlic with the salt. Add black pepper to the paste.
  4. Lightly pour olive oil all over the lamb and massage all over. Take the paste and massage all over the lamb and press into the holes that you made earlier.
  5. Allow the lamb to stand for 30 minutes with the paste on it.
  6. Place the lamb into the oven for 20 minutes then remove to flip over and then set the temperature to 350F. Cook for 15 minutes per pound or until a meat thermometer registers at 135F.
  7. Remove the lamb from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
  8. Serve with roasted potatoes, string beans, and mint sauce, then enjoy!

Tips for Success

  • Use a meat thermometer rather than relying on time alone. The 15 minutes per pound is a helpful guideline, but pulling it at 135°F internal is what actually guarantees the right doneness, since oven variance and the shape of the leg can throw off a per-pound estimate.
  • Don't skip the 30-minute stand time with the garlic paste on before it goes in the oven. That's what lets the garlic and salt actually penetrate and season the meat, rather than just sitting on the surface.

Storage & Serving

  • Don't skip the 15-minute rest after it comes out of the oven. Carving too soon lets all the juices run out onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat.
  • Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Reheat gently, covered, in a low oven (around 300°F) with a splash of broth to keep it from drying out — the microwave tends to turn lamb tough.
  • Sliced leftover lamb is also great cold on a sandwich the next day, not just reheated.
Good to Know

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know when the lamb is done?

Pull it at 135°F internal for medium-rare, and keep in mind it'll rise another few degrees while it rests, so don't wait for it to hit your final target temperature in the oven.

Can I use a boneless leg of lamb instead?

Yes, though it will cook a bit faster than bone-in, so start checking the internal temperature a little earlier than the timing guide suggests.

Can I prep the lamb ahead of time?

Yes — you can rub the garlic paste on up to a day ahead and refrigerate it uncovered, then bring it to room temperature before roasting. That extra time actually deepens the flavor even more.

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About Taylor

Hi, I'm Taylor — a recipe developer and food stylist based in Southern California. I test every recipe on this site in my own kitchen until it's genuinely worth making again, and I share the process along the way on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

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