How to roast a leg of lamb

 PREP. TIME: 5 MINs   bring to room temperature - 1-2 hours -   COOK TIME: 1 hour 20 minutes -

rest time min 30 mins - 2 hours - SERVES: 6 - 8

Do not be tempted to buy a boneless leg of lamb under the assumption that it is easier to cook and carve. You will never achieve the flavour, texture and succulence that is achieved when cooking the meat on the bone. Clearly though a purchase of a leg of lamb is an investment in time and money that needs to be given due credit and planning.

It all starts with your trusted butcher. Butchers in their wisdom often cut the shank and fold it back, thinking this will allow the leg to fit into most baking pans and ovens. If you have an oven big enough - ask for the shank to be left intact. It looks better and provides an easy handle for carving.

When you get the lamb home - unwrap it and salt it with kosher salt or sea salt. Allow about 1 dessert spoon of salt to a leg of lamb. Place the lamb uncovered and store in the refrigerator. A large leg of lamb can be safely kept like this for up to 3 days.

When it is approaching the time to cook the lamb - remove it from the fridge and bring it to room temperature by leaving it on the bench top for up to 2 hours. Meat at room temperature will cook more evenly than that cooked while still chilled.

When planning the meal - be sure to accommodate the time it takes to bring the meat to room temperature, the time it takes to cook and the time it takes to rest the meat. Allow a minimum of 30 minutes after you remove the lamb from the oven and before you carve it. One to two hours resting will do it no harm.  During this time the meat continues cooking and the juices retract into the flesh - rather than running all over your carving board - producing wonderful succulent meat.

The Australian (founded in British / Irish thinking) idea of having to eat everything piping hot from the oven is an unnecessary stress that my mother in law warned me off many years ago. This works particularly well with what our family grew to call Greek Lamb or Indian Lamb. In both cases - the roasted meat is served with rice and yoghurt - instead of the traditional roasted vegetables; A hearty Greek Salad or sauteed bitter greens and perhaps some stuffed vegetables accompanied the Greek idea. A flavoursome eggplant dish and some dhal for the Pakistani version. Both options are perfectly delicious and centred around cooking  a leg of lamb in the manner described here.

Olive oil is the fat of choice for rubbing onto the surface of the lamb before cooking - this gives the best flavour and colour. There is no need for further seasoning - if you salted the lamb at the outset. Avoid cooking with pungent bunches of rosemary that deteriorate into black splinters as the cooking proceeds. Some recipes call for whole bulbs of garlic or slices of the same inserted into the flesh;  I think it is all a fiddle. You can faff around as much as you like of course but I suggest you try the method here and add your complications another time if you think you need to.

If you want to serve roast vegetables - cook these 1 hour before serving the meal - ideally once the meat is out of the oven and resting.