Wood-Fired Leg of Lamb
(from Metro Cooks’s recipe box)
Lamb Roast
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 120 minutes
Serves 4 people
Categories: Lamb
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh rosemary, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 5 cloves garlic
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon, plus more for garnish
- One 6 to 7-pound leg of lamb, bone in
- Arugula salad, for serving
Directions
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Heat your wood-fired oven 2 hours before cooking. You want it to be a medium-high heat, about 400 degrees F.
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Add the olive oil, rosemary, salt, pepper, garlic, lemon juice and zest in a mortar and pestle and smash until it reaches a paste. Place the lamb on a sheet tray and rub the paste all over the lamb, getting into every inch of space. If time allows, you can marinate the lamb for at least 4 hours or overnight.
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Place the lamb on a sheet tray or roasting pan outfitted with a wire rack. Put in the oven and roast until the lamb reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, about 1 1/2 hours.
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Allow the lamb to rest for 20 minutes for the juices to redistribute before carving. Carve against the grain, using the bone as a handle. Place the slices on a platter and garnish with rosemary sprigs and lemon zest. Serve with a simple arugula salad.