HOW TO COOK LAMB LEG ROAST RECIPES

Steps:

• Lay the lamb, skin-side down, on a board – if the joint you bought is tied up, then snip the strings and unroll it. Cut several pieces of string long enough to tie around the lamb, then slide them under the joint so they’re regularly spaced out. Mix the stuffing ingredients together, and season well. Spread the stuffing out along the middle of the lamb, then fold the meat over to form a roll. Tie the string so the roll stays together, but don’t make it too tight or it will cut into the meat. Tie some string lengthways too, if necessary.
• Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. Season the lamb evenly all over. Heat a little oil in a large frying pan, then brown the lamb all over. Start with the side where the seam meets, as this will stop the lamb breaking up when you carve it.
• Tip the veg, garlic and rosemary into a roasting tin and put the lamb on top, seam-side down. Cook the lamb until the core temperature reaches 60C on a meat thermometer – this should take around 1 hr for a 2kg leg. As you rest the lamb, the temperature will continue to rise so don’t overcook it.
• Lift the lamb out of the tin and, keeping it warm, rest for up to an hour. Put the roasting tin on the hob. Add the stock, bring to a simmer, then tip the lot into a saucepan, scraping up any bits. Add 500ml water and then simmer again until reduced by half. Pour through a fine sieve and serve with the lamb.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
• Sit the lamb in a large roasting tin, skin-side up, and use the tip of a sharp knife to make many incisions all over the skin.
• Put the oregano, rosemary, garlic, lemon and orange zest, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons orange juice, olive oil and salt in a bowl and blend using a stick blender (alternatively, use a small food processor). Spoon this over the lamb and rub in well. Leave at room temperature for 45 minutes.
• Pour ½cm freshly boiled water into the bottom of the roasting tin and roast for 1 hour 40 minutes. Check after an hour to add more water if needed and cover with foil if the meat is beginning to catch. Just before the time is up, remove the lamb from the oven and check it is done to your liking, either using a probe and the temperatures listed in the tips below or piercing with a knife and taking a peek.
• Remove the cooked lamb from the oven, cover loosely with foil, and rest for 15–30 minutes, checking every now and again, before transferring to a board to carve.