Roasted Butterflied Leg of Lamb

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 80 min
Servings: 12
Yield: 12 servings

Description

This roasted butterflied leg of lamb that's seasoned with garlic, lemon, and fresh herbs is perfect for Easter and makes a stunning centerpiece.

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 (8 pound) leg of lamb, boned and butterflied to a more or less even thickness, 4 3/4 to 5 1/2 pounds trimmed weight, fell and most fat removed
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup Minced fresh parsley, cilantro or mint

Directions

1 Mix oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano; spread paste on both sides of the lamb and let stand for an hour until meat comes to room temperature.
2 Adjust oven rack to upper or upper-middle position (depending on lamb's thickness) and preheat broiler on high for at least 10 minutes.
3 Place lamb, cut-side up, on a large wire rack set over a foil-lined roasting pan. Broil, moving pan so entire surface browns evenly, about 8 minutes. Turn lamb over; continue to broil until well browned on the other side, about 8 minutes longer. Turn off broiler, remove lamb from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
4 Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
5 Stick a meat thermometer into the thickest portion of the lamb; roast in the preheated oven for a total of 50 minutes to 1 hour, until thermometer registers a rosy-pink 140 degrees F (60 degrees C). Check lamb several times after 30 minutes.
6 As soon as lamb comes out of the oven, squeeze on lemon juice and sprinkle with fresh herbs. Carve, slicing across the grain when possible. Arrange on a platter, drizzle with accumulated juices, and serve.