5-hr Slow-roast Leg of Lamb

This is our favourite way to prepare a festive roast of leg of lamb.  It is a standard around Easter time, but also when there is a larger gathering of friends or family.  This method produces a fall-off-the-bone, melt-in-your-mouth result that you will want to go back to again and again.  The lemon and oregano give the lamb a delicious and distinctive flavour that also flavours the roast potatoes (if using).  It is also a recipe requiring very few ingredients and low effort.  You put it in the oven, set an alarm for it and forget about it, while you go about doing other things.  No slaving over a hot stove with this recipe! What's not to love?

We suggest pairing the roast lamb with some roast new potatoes and carrots if desired.  We also like to make a light, fresh Greek tzatziki dip on the side as well as a fresh mixed leaves salad with a simple vinaigrette dressing.  A glass of crisp, white wine rounds this special meal off well.

INGREDIENTS

leg of lamb, 1.3-1.5kg

3/4 cup Opus Oléa extra virgin olive oil

juice of 2 freshly squeezed lemons

2 tsp of oregano (preferably Greek oregano)

salt and pepper

around 250g of baby new potatoes and/or 250g of carrots (optional)      

METHOD

Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

In a bowl mix your lemon juice with the olive oil and the Greek oregano.

Place your lamb in a roasting tin and coat with the lemon and olive oil mixture all over.  Salt and pepper the leg of lamb all around.  Once this is done, add a cup of water to the bottom of the roasting tin (do not pour the water over the seasoned lamb).  Cover the leg with one sheet of baking paper and with two layers of foil that you seal all around the roasting tin and place in the pre-heated oven for 1 hour.

Remove the roasting tin from the oven, carefully open the foil, turn the leg over to its other side, re-cover with your foil.  Reduce the oven temperature to 150 degrees Celsius and place your roasting tin in the oven for another 2 hours.

After the 2 hrs, remove the roasting tin from the oven, open foil and turn the leg over one more time.  At this time add to the roasting tin the baby new potatoes and/or carrots if using.  Re-cover with the foil and place back in the oven for another hour and a half at the same temperature of 150 degrees Celsius.

After the 1.5 hour has passed, take the roasting tin out of the oven and remove the sheets of foil and baking paper completely.  Raise your oven temperature to 200 degrees Celsius and place the now un-covered leg of lamb back in the oven for the last 30 minutes of roasting time to brown all around.

After the half hour has passed, take the roasting tin out of your oven and place the lamb on a platter, ready to serve.  Pour the juices from the tin into a small bowl and serve alongside the platter with a spoon.  This is best enjoyed while still warm from the oven.