Roasting a Lovely Leg of Lamb

A roasted leg of lamb makes a lovely centerpiece for a festive meal, and it's simple to execute.

A bone-in leg is the cut of choice for many hounds, who love to prepare it seasoned with garlic and rosemary. To infuse the meat with flavor, cut small slits all over the lamb and tuck slivers of garlic into each slit. Next, rub the exterior with olive oil, minced rosemary, salt, and pepper. If you'd prefer to use these flavors with a boneless roast, try CHOW's recipe.

Because of its triangular shape, a whole bone-in leg cooks unevenly, so Diane in Bexley asks the butcher to cut apart the shank and sirloin sections. She then roasts the sirloin and reserves the boned meat from the shank for kebabs. But to Billy33, "the unevenness is the beauty" of a whole leg because "[i]t's a great way of pleasing a group" of diners that includes some who prefer their meat well-done and other who like theirs rare.

A delicious accompaniment can be cooked right along with the lamb. "[P]arboil some potatoes, and lay them directly under the roast," Diane in Bexley suggests. "The drippings will perfume the potatoes and give you the best roasted potatoes." Terrie H. tosses in quartered artichoke hearts as well, and squeezes lemon juice over the vegetables before serving.

"And in the perfect world," smtucker says, "you will have leftovers to make a shepherd's pie or some meat pies."

Discuss: A little lamb help, please!