Roast Leg of Lamb

A leg of lamb should be soft to the touch and leave a slight indent when pressed. The skin should be dry, but not cracking or flaking. Ask your butcher to remove the bottom socket joint to make cooking and carving easier.

Approximate cooking times (depends on your oven):
Pink – 10 minutes for every 1 lb + 20 minutes
Medium – 13 minutes for every 1 lb + 20 minutes
Well-done – 20 minutes for every 1 lb + 20 minutes

Always rest the meat for at least 10 minutes before carving.

1 leg of lamb (about 4½ lb)
½ lemon
1 handful rosemary, roughly chopped
10 fillets of salted anchovies or anchovies in oil
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
olive oil

With a sharp pointed knife, pierce the skin of the lamb at an angle about 2 inches deep and about 10 times randomly about the leg, poking your finger into each cut to make a bit more room. Rub the skin with the lemon and push the rosemary into the cuts and on to the skin. Stuff the anchovy fillets into the cuts. Season the outside of the lamb with salt and pepper. Put a little oil into a roasting tray (preferably a heavy one) and add the lamb. Roast, in a wood fired oven that is about 425° F, turning every 30 minutes until cooked.

Buon appetito from Los Angeles Ovenworks!

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Los Angeles Ovenworks, located in Southern California, offers the finest Italian wood burning pizza ovens for home and backyard, as well as cooking tips and authentic Italian recipes.

Just wanted to drop a note and tell you how much we are enjoying your oven. We have had three successful parties so far and have more scheduled and it will be a major part of our Christmas entertainment.

B. Miller
Navasoto, TX