Boneless Leg of Lamb Recipe

Working with larger cuts of meat than you’re used to can be intimidating, but don’t worry. We have easy-to-follow steps that make it simple for everyone, including beginner cooks!

Since this boneless leg of lamb recipe has you sear the meat in a cast iron skillet first, it creates a deeper color and gorgeous outer crust, locking in the juices.

Worth cooking

It requires little hands-on time. This easy lamb roast recipe doesn’t require much effort! The longest part of the process is marinating the meat. The rest of the preparation process is incredibly easy!
The lamb has an excellent presentation. If you’re looking to impress your loved ones, this is certainly the recipe to make. Although it only requires a simple list of ingredients, it produces an elegant, large roast perfect for holidays or small gatherings.
It is extremely versatile. This juicy roast pairs with many different side dishes, giving you room for creativity. You can serve it with anything ranging from buttered leeks to glazed carrots to a mixed green salad! Plus, leftover lamb could make tacos, sandwiches, and more.

Tasty lamb on a serving platter with glazed carrots.

Ingredients Needed

To make this noteworthy entree, you only need a few simple ingredients:

Boneless Leg of Lamb: Since it is boneless, you can cook it faster than a traditional whole roast leg. Then, when you butterfly it, it creates a larger surface area. This allows for more opportunities for sophisticated flavor since the marinade can penetrate more. You can get a boneless leg of lamb from grocery stores, or you can remove the bone from a leg of lamb.
Fresh Rosemary and Thyme: Delicate, fragrant herbs enhance the lamb’s richness and depth of flavor. Fresh thyme and rosemary work well with lamb!
Lemon Juice: This acidic component tenderizes the meat for better marinade absorption and brings a sense of lightness to the dish. You could also add lemon zest for more lemony flavor.
Fresh Garlic: Using fresh garlic cloves instead of dried garlic powder makes all the difference in a pronounced garlicky flavor. This ingredient provides the dish with a pleasant umami kick.
Mustard: This tangy ingredient supplies a contrasting taste to the sweet herbs and bright lemon juice, achieving a balanced flavor. You can use honey or Dijon mustard.

You will also need staples like salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Check out the recipe card below for all of the info!

How To Roast Boneless Leg Of Lamb

You can nail this recipe even if it’s your first time making roast lamb. Here are the easy steps and step-by-step photos for making Roasted Leg of Lamb:

Mix all of the marinade ingredients in a small bowl until thoroughly combined.

Butterfly a boneless leg of lamb and rub the marinade on it. Roll it tightly, securing it with kitchen twine.

To butterfly a leg of lamb, make a lengthwise cut along the side of the meat to open it up. This method allows for quicker cooking and more even seasoning.

Transfer the seasoned lamb to a bowl and tightly cover it with plastic wrap.

Refrigerate the meat.

Before cooking, take the lamb out of the fridge to come to room temperature. In the meantime, preheat the oven.

Heat an oven-safe skillet until smoking hot.

Sear the lamb in a cast iron skillet with olive oil on each side to give it a deep color.

Loosely cover the meat with aluminum foil and transfer the skillet to the hot oven. You could also roast your leg of lamb in a roasting pan.
Bake it to your desired doneness. The cooking time will depend on how you want the meat to be cooked. See the lamb cooking guide below. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the doneness of the meat.

Let the lamb rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. This allows time for the meat to reabsorb its juices.

Pantry notes

Bone-In Leg of Lamb: You can surely use bone-in leg of lamb instead. Just keep in mind that it will take longer to cook. This isn’t an issue, though, as you will know when it’s done based on its temperature!
Make it Spicy: Looking for a fiery kick? You can easily include cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, or smoked chili powder in the marinade blend.
Make it a One-Pan Meal: After searing the meat, add quick-cooking vegetables to the pan, which will roast in the oven with the meat, creating an aromatic and flavorful dinner.

Leg of Lamb Cooking Guide

Everyone has their preferences when it comes to doneness. These temperatures can help you reach your preference much easier. Remember to place the instant read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. You can check a few different spots to be safe!

Rare: 125°F (51.6 °C) With a rare leg of lamb, the center is red and turns pinkish towards the outer part of the meat.
Medium-Rare: 130°F (54.4 °C) to 135°F (57.2 °C) At this point, the center is pink, and the color slightly shifts towards a brown hue as it reaches the exterior portion.
Medium: 135°F (57.2 °C) to 140°F (60 °C) Medium looks similar to medium-rare, except the center is a lighter pink color. With this doneness, the exterior is brown.
Medium-Well: 150° (65.5 °C) to 155° F (68.3 °C) You won’t see any pink at this stage!
Well-Done: 155°F (68.3 °C) to 165°F (73.8 °C) With well-done lamb, it is uniformly brown both inside and out.

It’s important to remember that the lamb leg will continue to cook for a short while even after you have removed it from the oven.

Therefore, we suggest taking it out of the oven when it’s at a temperature that is slightly lower than your desired temperature. This will help you achieve the perfect level of doneness.

Cook notes

For best results, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the lamb. Otherwise, you might accidentally under or overcook the meat if you base its doneness only on its appearance.
Use the right pan. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet or a braiser, you will have to transfer the seared leg of lamb to different cookware before putting it in the oven, which creates unnecessary dirty dishes.
Allow the leg of lamb to rest for about 10-15 minutes before serving it. This results in maximum tenderness and juiciness!

Yield: 6 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes

Ingredients

4-5 pound boneless leg of lamb
2 Tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon honey mustard, or Dijon mustard
6 garlic cloves, minced
1¼ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon fresh minced rosemary
1 Tablespoon fresh minced thyme
2 teaspoons beef bouillon powder
1 Tablespoon olive oil, for searing

Method

Make the Marinade: In a small mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, honey mustard or Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, minced garlic, rosemary and thyme, and beef bouillon powder.
Prep and Season Lamb: Using kitchen scissors, cut out the netting from the lamb. Butterfly the lamb so it lies flat, with its interior facing you. Brush two-thirds of the marinade on the lamb's interior. Starting from the shorter side and working horizontally, roll the lamb tightly into a log. Tie tightly with kitchen twine, giving a 1-2 inch gap between each tie. Brush more of the marinade on the exterior of the lamb, reserving 1 tablespoon of the marinade for basting later.
Let It Marinate: Place the seasoned lamb into a large mixing bowl. Tightly wrap the bowl with a plastic wrap and place in the fridge to marinate overnight or for at least 2 hours.
Bring To Room Temperature: Remove the lamb from the fridge one hour before cooking. Preheat oven to 350℉ (180 ℃).
Sear The Lamb: Set a 12-inch oven-safe skillet, preferably a cast iron skillet, on medium-high heat until smoking hot. Add the lamb to the skillet and let it cook for 4 minutes until it gets some color, then flip it over and let it cook for another 4 minutes. Using a tong to lift and support the lam, sear both sides for 3-4 minutes.
Roast: Cover the lamb loosely with foil, transfer it to the preheated oven and let it roast for 30 minutes. After the first 20 minutes, remove the foil and let it continue roasting uncovered for another 10 minutes or until desired doneness. See the lamb cooking guide in the recipe notes.
Rest: Once the lamb is roasted, transfer it to a cutting board, cover it with foil and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Remove the twine, cut the lamb into slices, and serve it warm.

Notes

Rare : 125°F (51.6 °C) With a rare leg of lamb, the center is red and turns pinkish towards the outer part of the meat.

Medium-Rare : 130°F (54.4 °C) to 135°F (57.2 °C) At this point, the center is pink, and the color slightly shifts towards a brown hue as it reaches the exterior portion.

Medium : 135°F (57.2 °C) to 140°F (60 °C) Medium looks similar to medium-rare, except the center is a lighter pink color. With this doneness, the exterior is brown.

Medium-Well : 150° (65.5 °C) to 155° F (68.3 °C) You won’t see any pink at this stage!

Well-Done : 155°F (68.3 °C) to 165°F (73.8 °C) With well-done lamb, it is uniformly brown both inside and out.