Grandpa Joe's
Roast Leg of Lamb

Not necessarily Italian, but still very, very good!

About this recipe

Ingredients

  • leg of lamb
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
  • 3 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • all-purpose flour
  • beef stock

Directions

  1. Allow the leg of lamb to reach room temperature (about 2 hours for a 4 pound roast).
  2. Combine the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, oregano, marjoram, and fennel.  Rub the meat generously on all sides first with olive oil, and then with the herb and spice mixture.
  3. Place the lamb on a rack in a roasting pan and roast in a preheated 450°  F oven for 20 minutes.  
  4. Reduce the heat to 350° F, add the chopped vegetables and 2 cups of water to the roasting pan, and cook until the center of the roast reaches 145° (for medium).  Add more water to the pan every 30 minutes, if necessary, to keep the bottom of the pan moist.
  5. Remove the meat to a platter, cover with foil, and let rest for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
  6. Mix ¼ cup flour with 2 cups cold water or beef stock and use this to deglaze the roasting pan.  Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to remove all caramelized meat and vegetable bits.  Bring to a simmer and then strain into a fresh saucepan.
  7. Bring the strained sauce to a boil again, taste, and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Add more flour (mixed first in cold water) if a thicker sauce is desired.