The secret to delicious lamb isn’t just what you put on it—it’s the perfect combination of what goes in it and what coats the outside. Our boneless leg of lamb delivers the best of both worlds: pockets of mellow, roasted garlic infused throughout the meat, with a fragrant herb crust that creates an irresistible aroma and beautiful presentation. And the pan sauce we serve with it—so good you could drink it.
This is an old-school dual approach that guarantees flavor in every bite. We remember having to stuff garlic cloves into meat using a pairing knife and wanted to make that process so much simpler. The solution? Start with a deboned leg of lamb.
The stuffed garlic slowly permeates the meat as it cooks, while the herb coating creates a gorgeous crust that seals in juices and adds another layer of flavor. If you want to make sure your lamb recipe knocks it out of the park, this is how you do it.
Ingredients
- Lamb: 4 lbs boneless leg of lamb; if needed, ask your butcher to debone the lamb for you.
- Garlic: 15-20 cloves, minced; additional head for roasting.
- Herbs & Spices: avocado oil (or your favorite neurtal oil), fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, Dijon mustard, cardamom, garlic powder (yes more garlic), and onion powder.
- Seasoning: Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper.
- For the pan sauce: Whole lemon, 2 onions, white wine, cornstarch, chicken broth.
How to Cook the Lamb
Prep and coat
- Prep the Lamb: Start by drying the lamb with paper towels. Create a garlic paste with minced cloves, oil, and salt, and rub it all over the lamb. Roll and tie the lamb with butcher’s twine for uniform cooking.
- Herb Coating: Combine mustard, minced herbs, spices, and seasoning. Coat the lamb thoroughly.
Cooking Process
- Roasting Setup: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Prepare your roasting tray with lemon, garlic head, onion, and fresh herbs. Pour white wine into the tray and place the lamb on top.
- Roasting: Cook until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness, ideally 130°F for medium-rare.
- Making the Sauce: Post-roasting, use the pan drippings to create a flavorful sauce with roasted garlic, wine, and a cornstarch slurry.
Girl Carnivore Expert Recipe Tips
- Temperature Guide: To achieve the perfect doneness, refer to the lamb cooking temperature table below:
- Rare: 120-125°F
- Medium Rare: 130-135°F
- Medium: 140-145°F
- Slicing: Always slice against the grain for the most tender bites. Only remove as much butchers twine as you need to when slicing to help the lamb retain its shape and making carving easier.
How to Serve
Serve your meal with side dishes that complement the rich flavors of the lamb:
- Roasted Root Vegetables: A mix of carrots, parsnips, and potatoes.
- Crisp Salad: A fresh green salad with a light vinaigrette to balance the richness.
Storing and Reheating
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Gently in an oven preheated to at 275°F in a covered raosting pan or baking dish with a splash of the sauce or chicken broth to maintain moisture and texture.
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Garlic-Stuffed Boneless Leg of Lamb Recipe
Want a lamb roast that tastes as impressive as it looks? Our garlic stuffed boneless leg delivers flavor in every bite. Starting with boneless leg of lamb makes this stunning centerpiece surprisingly simple to stuff with layers of flavor and easy to prepare.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs boneless leg of lamb; if needed ask your butcher to debone the lamb for you.
- 15 – 20 cloves of garlic minced, plus an additional head of garlic for roasting
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 2 tbsp fresh Rosemary minced plus 2 sprigs
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme plus 3 to 4 sprigs
- 3 to 4 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- ½ tsp Cardamom
- ½ tsp Garlic powder
- ½ tsp Onion powder
- 1 tbsp Kosher salt
- 1 lemon cut in half
- 2 Onions sliced into wedges
- ½ cup White wine
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 cup Chicken broth
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Prep the Leg of Lamb
- Start by removing the lamb from the package.
- If it’s netting, cut the netting off.
- Pat the lamb dry with a paper towel.
- Meanwhile, use the tines of a fork to smash the minced garlic cloves and mix them in a small bowl with the oil and a pinch of salt to make a paste-like texture.
- Rub the garlic all over the surface of the lamb.
- Then, roll the lamb up to form an even shape and secure it every two inches with butcher’s twine.
- Mix the fresh rosemary, thyme, mustard, cardamom, garlic powder, and onion powder together in a small bowl and season with a liberal pinch of salt.
- Rub the herb blend all over the lamb, coating all sides and edges.
Roast the Lamb
- Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F and adjust the racks for the middle-low position so that you can easily slide your roasting pan in and out.
- Remove the top ¼ tip of the head of garlic, but it with a touch of oil and pinch of salt and nestle it into your roasting pan.
- Add the lemon halves, onion wedges, and the fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs as well.
- Add the white wine and nestle the herb-coated lamb on top.
- Roast until the lamb reaches 130 degrees in the center with a digital meat thermometer or your desired temp. Start checking the temp after an hour and then every 15 minutes after that.
Rest and Make the Pan Sauce:
- Remove the roast from the oven and set it on a wooden cutting board tented with foil to rest.
- Meanwhile, remove the lemon wedges, herb sprigs, and garlic from the roasting pan.
- Set it over medium heat, and if the wine has entirely evaporated, deglaze the pan by adding a ¼ cup of white wine and scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon.
- Squeeze 2 or 3 roasted garlic cloves from he head and add them to the pan.
- In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and one tablespoon of the chicken broth together to form a slurry.
- Add the slurry to the roasting pan, mix in the chicken broth, and let it simmer until thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Add a splash of fresh-squeezed lemon juice if needed for brightness.
Slice and Serve:
- When the roast has rested for 15 minutes, remove the butcher’s twine and slice into ¼” thick slices to serve.
- Spoon the roasted onion wedges onto a serving platter with the lamb and pour the pan sauce into a serving dish.
- Serve immediately, letting people spoon the sauce over their lamb.
Notes
- If you want a little extra crunch, turn the oven to broil right after you have removed the lamb from the oven and once it’s preheated, return the lamb to the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, keeping an eye on it to prevent burning.
- Temperature Guide: To achieve the perfect doneness, refer to the lamb cooking temperature table below:
- Rare: 120-125°F
- Medium Rare: 130-135°F
- Medium: 140-145°F
- Remember the internal temp will continue to rise 5 or so degrees as the meat rests and that the ends will be more cooked than the center.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 1135mg | Potassium: 532mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 65IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 3mg
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