Best roast leg of lamb recipe | Jamie Oliver lamb recipes (2024)

FAQs

How does Gordon Ramsay cook roast lamb? ›

And when you have a gorgeous cut, like a rack of lamb, you can cook it the good ol' Gordon Ramsay way—which is to say, lightly pan-sear it first, then baste it with an herby, garlicky butter, and finally finish it off in the oven until it's still pink and juicy in the middle. It comes out perfectly every time.

The leg and rack of lamb are perfect for herb-crusting and oven-roasting; since the shank and shoulder are a bit tougher, they fare well in stews or braises—the long cook time allows them to significantly break down and become fork-tender.

Slow cooking in liquid transforms tougher cuts of lamb into fork-tender meat. Neck, shoulder and belly, either diced or as whole joints, are the best cuts for slow cooking and need to be cooked for at least 2 hrs at 150°C to soften the meat.

For the perfect roast lamb, we recommend seasoning the surface of the meat, and then searing it, especially fat side down in a pan before roasting. Why bother with searing? Contrary to some stories, searing is less about locking in moisture, and all about improving the flavour!

Searing the lamb before slow cooking is a great way to lock in the flavor and create a nice crispy crust. All you need to do is brown the outside on a hot pan until the surface is slightly crisp.

Whether boneless or bone-in, the perfect leg of lamb should be either oven-roasted until blushing pink on the inside (with an internal temp around 130°F) or roasted long and slow for several hours until the meat is very tender and falls apart to internal temp around 175°F (I often use the slow cooker for that).

Fattier cuts of lamb should be roasted long and slow at a low temperature, while leaner cuts of meat should be cooked at a high temperature for the first several minutes and then at a lower temperature the rest of the time. Braising is a popular technique for cooking less-tender cuts of lamb.

Should you sear lamb before slow cooking? To maximize the flavor of your lamb shoulder roast, you'll definitely want to give it a good sear before braising. It'll take about a half hour over medium-high heat for the meat to turn deep golden brown on all sides, essentially caramelizing while sealing in the juices.

Cooking It When Its Too Cold

You may think you must cook the outside longer to bring up the internal temperature. However, this adjustment often results in unevenly cooked meat with a cold, chewy inside and a tough, burnt outside.

What is the cooking time for lamb per pound? ›

The lamb will need to cook for about 20 minutes per pound (2 hours for a 6-pound leg of lamb; 2 hours and 40 minutes for 8 pounds). An instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat, not touching the bone, should read 145 degrees when the lamb is medium-rare.

Cooking instructions

You can cook the lamb straight away, but if you have time, cover and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour, or even overnight. Preheat the oven to 160°C/Gas 3. Heat a large casserole dish on the hob and add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil.

Directions. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Season the beef with salt and pepper; sear in a hot roasting pan with the olive oil to brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes each side. Transfer to oven; roast, allowing 15 minutes a pound (450g) for rare or 20 minutes a pound (450g) for medium.

For a lean piece of meat, cook at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) for the first 15 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) to continue roasting — the meat will take about 25 minutes per pound to reach medium rare.