Best Herbed And Butterflied Leg Of Lamb Recipes

BUTTERFLIED HERB-ROASTED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and unroll it on the cutting board. With a sharp knife trim off the excess fat and any gristle.
• To make the lamb the same thickness, butterfly-book the thick parts by making shallow diagonal slices and pressing the slices open like pages in a book.
• Then lightly score the the meat in a 1-inch crosshatch. Place the lamb on an oil-sprayed wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet.
• To a small dish add the mashed anchovies, and the chopped garlic, mint and rosemary. Stir in the salt and olive oil.
• Rub the herb mixture over the prepared lamb, working the mixture into all the cuts and crevices. Let the lamb rest for an hour on the counter top to come to room temperature and absorb the herb flavor.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F Transfer the baking sheet with lamb still on the wire rack and roast the lamb for 25-35 minutes, depending on desired doneness. For medium-rare an instant-read thermometer will register 125 to 130°F
• Let the lamb rest for 10 minutes before serving.

HERBED BUTTERFLIED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• In a glass bowl, combine wine, vinegar, garlic, mint, thyme, parsley, and salt. Mix well to combine.
• Season both sides of the lamb with salt and pepper. Place lamb in a shallow glass or ceramic dish. Pour marinade over meat, turning to coat. Cover, and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.
• Prepare a charcoal or gas grill, arranging coals for indirect cooking. Lightly coat rack with cooking spray; coals should be hot.
• Remove lamb from marinade; pat dry. Place lamb on hottest part of grill; sear for 5 minutes per side. Move lamb to the cooler part of the grill, and cook for 10 minutes. Turn over; cover grill. For medium-rare, cook until an instant-read thermometer registers 140 degrees. 10 to 15 minutes more. Remove from grill, and let lamb rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve.

GARLIC-AND-HERB-RUBBED BUTTERFLIED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Pat lamb dry with paper towels and place it on a rimmed baking sheet. In a bowl, combine oil, herbs, orange zest and juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Rub mixture all over lamb. Cover with foil and let marinate at room temperature for 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Remove foil and transfer lamb to oven. Roast until a thermometer reads 120 degrees for rare and 130 for medium, about 35 to 45 minutes, depending on how you like your meat. Let cool completely, then wrap and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving.

GRILLED BUTTERFLIED LEG OF LAMB WITH LEMON, HERBS, AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Make herb rub:
• Finely chop garlic and in a small bowl stir together with remaining herb-rub ingredients.
• Put lamb in a large dish and with tip of a sharp small knife held at a 45-degree angle cut 1/2-inch-deep slits all over lamb, rubbing herb mixture into slits and all over lamb. Marinate lamb at room temperature 1 hour.
• Prepare grill.
• Lightly pat lamb dry. On a lightly oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals grill lamb about 10 minutes on each side, or until an instant-read thermometer horizontally inserted into thickest part of meat registers 125°F for medium-rare. (Alternatively, roast lamb in a roasting pan in middle of a 425°F oven about 25 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer horizontally inserted into meat registers 125°F for medium-rare.) Transfer lamb to a cutting board. Halve and seed lemon. Squeeze juice over lamb and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 15 minutes.
• Cut lamb into slices and serve with any juices that have accumulated on cutting board.

BROILED AND SLOW-ROASTED BUTTERFLIED LEG OF LAMB WITH CUMIN AND GARLIC

Steps:

• 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.
• Adjust oven rack to upper or upper-middle position (depending on lamb's thickness) and preheat broiler on high for at least 10 minutes.
• 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.
• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Stick a meat thermometer into the thickest portion of the lamb; return it to the oven. Roast for a total of 50 minutes to 1 hour, until thermometer registers a rosy-pink 140 degrees. Check lamb several times after 30 minutes. If lamb gets done sooner, simply turn down oven to 170 degrees until ready to serve.
• 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.

HERB-ROASTED LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven so the lamb will sit in the middle of the oven.
• Peel 6 of the cloves of garlic and place them in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the rosemary, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and butter. Process until the garlic and rosemary are finely minced. Thoroughly coat the top and sides of the lamb with the rosemary mixture. Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Toss the potatoes and remaining unpeeled garlic in a bowl with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Place the lamb on top of the potatoes. Roast for 20 minutes. Turn the heat down to 350 degrees F and roast for another 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until a meat thermometer registers 130 to 135 degrees F for medium-rare. Place the lamb on a cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with the potatoes.

HERB STUFFED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Ask a butcher to remove all bones, except shank, and to clean meat of all sinew and excess fat inside and out. Butterfly leg for stuffing.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lay lamb flat on counter. Using a sharp knife, make several slits, about 2 inches long by 1/4 inch deep, so seasonings can penetrate meat. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Spread garlic evenly on top, then cover with herbs. Roll meat to enclose stuffing and tie with string at 1 inch intervals, keeping the diameter of the roll the same so that the roast cooks evenly. Shank bone will protrude at one end. Generously season outside with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Brown lamb on all sides. Roast on rack in roasting pan 30 to 40 minutes for medium rare, 1 hour for well done. (A meat thermometer inserted in center should read 160 or 165 degrees F or a thinbladed knife inserted to the center for 20 seconds should feel lukewarm on your lips.) Let sit at room temperature about 10 minutes before carving, so juices can run to center. Remove strings and slice meat thinly across the roll. Serve with Roasted Eggplant and Myzithra Cheese Puree. To reheat carved lamb, place slices on a sheet pan, cover with a wet towel, and bake 5 minutes at 375 degrees F. Use leftover meat and puree for pita sandwiches.

GRILLED BUTTERFLIED LEG OF LAMB WITH LEMON, HERBS AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Make herb rub: Finely chop garlic and in a small bowl stir together with remaining herb-rub ingredients.
• Put lamb in a large dish and with tip of a sharp knife held at a 45=degree angle cut 1/2-inch-deep slits all over lamb, rubbing herb mixture into slits and all over lamb.
• Marinate lamb at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Prepare grill.
• Lightly pat lamb dry.
• On a lightly oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals grill lamb about 10 minutes on each side, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 125 for medium-rare.
• (Alternately, roast lamb in a roasting pan in middle of a 425 oven about 25 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer horizontally inserted into meat registers 125 for medium-rare.) Transfer lamb to a cutting board.
• Halve and seed lemon.
• Squeeze juice over lamb and let stand, loosely covered with foil 15 minutes.
• Cut lamb into slices and serve with any juices that have accumulated on cutting board.

ROLLED BUTTERFLIED LEG OF LAMB WITH HERBS AND PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Cut 1 preserved lemon in half; remove and discard seeds. Coarsely chop lemon; transfer to a food processor. Add rosemary, mint, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Process until coarsely ground. With processor running, pour in oil in a slow, steady stream; process until a thick paste forms.
• Spread herb mixture all over lamb; transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cover; refrigerate 8 hours (or overnight).
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Season lamb with salt and pepper. Cut remaining preserved lemon into paper-thin rounds; discard seeds. Arrange rounds over one side of lamb. Starting from one narrow end, roll up lamb. Using kitchen twine, tie lamb crosswise at 1-inch intervals. Season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer lamb to a roasting pan just large enough to hold it. Roast 25 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water to pan; reduce heat to 400 degrees. Continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 120 degrees (for medium-rare), about 35 minutes.
• Tent with foil. Let rest 25 minutes (internal temperature will rise). Transfer to a cutting board; remove twine. Cut into thin slices. Serve with lemon wedges.