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close up of roasted boneless leg of lamb on a bed of citrus salsa surrounded by fresh rosemary

Roast Boneless Leg of Lamb

You’ve never had a Roast Boneless Leg of Lamb like this one, and we guarantee you’ll never make it any other way! This slow roast lamb uses a low heat method to tenderize the meat, followed by high heat for a golden crust. A sweet onion mustard infuses the leg of lamb and a bright zesty citrus salsa finishes it off. SO GOOD!
Course Easter, lamb, main, Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine American, Italian, Mediterranean
Keyword Boneless leg of lamb, boneless leg of lamb recipe, Easter, easter lamb, lamb, Roast boneless leg of lamb, Roast Leg of lamb
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 3 hours
Servings 8 people
Calories 346 kcal
Author Mahy

Ingredients

Lamb

  • 6 pound boneless leg of lamb. Use American Lamb always.
  • 1 Tablespoons coarse salt and pepper or to taste

Aromatic Mixture:

  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 onion Finely diced
  • 6 cloves of garlic minced
  • 1 Tablespoon black olive paste
  • 3 tablespoons rosemary leaves minced
  • 1 Tablespoon grainy mustard
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
  • 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder

Citrus salsa

  • 1 grapefruit segmented
  • 1 blood orange segmented
  • 1 orange segmented
  • 1-2 clementines segmented
  • 1 lemon segmented
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1/2 red onion finely diced
  • 1 jalapeno minced
  • 1/4 cup cilantro minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Season the lamb heavily with salt and pepper, pressing down the seasoning well int the meat.
    heavily salted and pepper boneless leg of lamb
  2. Cook the aromatics mixture.
  3. In a skillet over medium high heat cook the onions in the butter for 7 minutes until golden and sweet and caramelized. Do not rush this step.
    Onions caramelized and golden on a skillet
  4. Add the garlic and cook for another 1 minute.
    After the onions have cooked, the remaining ingredients are added including garlic, mustard, tapenade, citrus zests and spices
  5. Remove the skillet off the heat and add in the remaining aromatic ingrediets.
  6. Mix them well and let the mixture cool down entirely.
    The flavoring mixture is mixed and cooled completely
  7. Spread the mixture evenly over the lamb and press it down.
    The onion mixture is pressed well into the lamb
  8. Use a kitchen twine to tie up the boneless leg of lamb.
    A hand holding a kitchen twine to begin tying up the boneless leg of lamb for roasting
  9. You’ll start by tying up the leg by length and making a knot.
    The first step to tying up the boneless leg of lamb is to tie the meat vertically and make a tight knot
  10. Then you’ll take the thread and go in half inch or less intervals. Wrap the thread all around the meat and tie it at the point it meets the long initial tie.
    The kitchen twine is then used to tie the first knot around the circumference of the boneless leg of lamb and within every round, a knot os formed
  11. Continue in intervals until all the leg is wrapped up firmly.
    The process is repeated until all the lamb is tied up
  12. Cover the leg of lamb and let it sit in the mixture for 10 minutes while you preheat the oven or overnight in the fridge.
  13. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
  14. Arrange some foil over a baking sheet and a wire rack on top of that. Place the meat over the rack.
    The tied up boneless leg of lamb is placed over a wire rack over a baking sheet and ready to marinate or begin roasting
  15. Roast for 2-2.5 hours until a thermometer registers minimum of 135 degrees F.
    The slow roasting of the boneless leg of lamb is completed the first half at low temperature and a meat thermometer is showing the perfect temperature
  16. Remove the leg of lamb and increase the heat to 500 degrees F.
  17. Remove the kitchen twine.
    The high temperature roasting is now complete and the boneless leg of lamb has a beautiful crust and [perfect internal temperature. It is ready to rest
  18. Place the meat back at the high temperature oven for 10-15 minutes until golden crisp. The meat should look like it has a beautiful sear.
  19. Remove the leg of lamb and tent it with a foil to rest.
  20. Make the salsa : Mix all ingredients together and set aside.
    A hand holding a knife and slowly slicing the perfect boneless leg of lamb showing the first slice how perfectly cooked and flavored it looks
  21. Slice the lamb in half inch slices and serve with the salsa.
    Top view of a fully roasted boneless leg of lamb, thinly sliced and arranged on a plate

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Tips for Roasting Boneless Leg of Lamb

  1. Start with fresh and quality American lamb, it makes a difference to your recipe! It also makes a huge difference to buy local and support local.
  2. Cook the onions  really well before proceeding with the remaining aromatics. This is KEY. Sweet caramelized onions have a richer and different flavor than the raw.
  3. When the onion mixture os ready, you need to make sure it has cooled down completely before spreading it over the boneless leg of lamb.
  4. Trim excess fat if you’d like a lighter tasting boneless lamb.
  5. Season the lamb liberally with coarse salt and coarse black pepper.
  6. Always press down the seasoning to seep it into the meat.
  7. Spread the onion mixture and likewise press it down well into the meat.
  8. Follow the video for the technique on tying the roast using a kitchen twine. It’s easy once you follow it.
  9. Make sure you tie the meat firmly. It doesn’t have to be a perfect shape, but it has to be firmly tied.
  10. 10.Roast SLOW. The low temperatures will activate the enzymes to tenderize the meat TREMENDOUSLY! You’ll end up with tender and juicy meat when following this technique.
  11. 11.Remove the meat 50 degrees before your desired final temperature.
  12. 12.Cut the twine before roasting at the higher temperature as it may burn.
  13. 13.When roasting on the high temperature, keep an eye on the lamb. You want a golden curst, you no longer need to be cooking it. The crust usually takes 10-15 minutes.
  14. 14.Always let the meat rest before slicing. This is the perfect opportunity to prepare the salsa or side dishes.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers?

Leftovers, if any, can be stored in air tight container separately. The lamb meat slices or even whole can be stored for up to 5 days.

Leftovers make great sandwiches and wraps. They’re also great added over a salad or pasta dish.

To reheat leftovers, you can microwave the slices for 1 minute and a half. Or, wrap them in foil and reheat in the air fryer at 350 degrees F for 3-4 minutes.

How much lamb should I plan to serve per person?

This is ironically one of the most common questions. Ok seriously serve however one wants and keep leftovers for a happy day!!

On a serious note, usually 1/2 pound of meat person is the baseline. So a 6 pound boneless leg of lamb is good for 12 people.

What’s the best temperature to serve lamb at?

The USDA recommends cooking all cuts of lamb to 145℉, which is on the higher end of medium.

How do I know when the lamb is done?

The best way to know if your boneless leg of lamb is ready, or any cut is to use a meat thermometer.

How much more does the lamb keep going after it’s out of the oven?

Initially you’ll need to spare 50 degrees as the lamb will go back at a higher temperature for 15 minutes. And as it sits before slicing, you can estimate an extra 7-10 degrees.

Nutrition Facts
Roast Boneless Leg of Lamb
Amount Per Serving
Calories 346 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Trans Fat 0.1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Cholesterol 145mg48%
Sodium 468mg20%
Potassium 798mg23%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 45g90%
Vitamin A 1053IU21%
Vitamin C 28mg34%
Calcium 53mg5%
Iron 5mg28%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.