The oven-baked lamb leg is one of those main courses that in my region, Abruzzo, is very common to prepare for festive days, especially for Christmas lunch and New Year’s Day, but it’s a great dish for any occasion.
The cooking takes time and also depends on how large the leg is, but it takes at least two hours just to cook it.
At my house, it’s really a ritual, I usually prepare it the day before to let the flavors blend better.
You make fairly deep cuts on both sides of the leg and then stuff them with garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper… trust me, it’s absolutely delicious.
Follow my instructions, and you’ll see what a hit you’ll be at the table… I just apologize if I didn’t include more photos, but I shot on a festive day, and even the final photo isn’t that great.
You cook it whole, and then once it’s done cooking, use a knife to separate it into pieces, maybe even put on a pair of disposable gloves so you can use your hands as well.
So prepare it and let me know what you think.
Approx. 936 Kcal per person
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6 people
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for Oven-Baked Leg of Lamb
- 1 Large leg of lamb (about 4.4 lbs)
- to taste Rosemary
- to taste Salt
- to taste Pepper
- 15 cloves Garlic (approx.)
Preparation of Oven-Baked Leg of Lamb
Take the leg of lamb and with the tip of a knife make cuts to then pierce a bit deeply… these cuts are made on both sides of the leg.
Prepare at least 15 peeled garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and rosemary and insert a garlic clove, a pinch of rosemary, a pinch of pepper, and salt into each incision.
Once the entire leg is stuffed, lightly sprinkle it with pepper and salt on both sides, then place it on a sheet of parchment paper and wrap it well
once closed, take a sheet of aluminum foil and wrap it all around until it’s completely covered.
At this point, put it in a baking dish, and if you’re going to cook it the next day, place it in the fridge, otherwise in a preheated oven at 390°F for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, making sure to put a finger of water in the dish.
Once the leg is almost cooked, remove the parchment paper and aluminum foil and complete the cooking for about 30 minutes, letting it brown well.
When cooking is complete, cut the leg with the help of a knife, and perhaps put on some disposable gloves to assist with your hands, considering there’s a bone and even though the meat will literally fall off the bone with ease, it’s best to be prepared.
Try the recipe and enjoy your meal.
