Cast Iron Roasted Boneless Leg of Lamb with Herbed Bread-Crumb Crust
By Lawman JohnsonPublished on July 13, 2017
Time
1½ hours, plus 20 minutes resting
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Before You Begin
We prefer the sirloin end rather than the shank end of the lamb leg in this recipe for its more uniform shape, though either will work well.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Process parsley, rosemary, 1 teaspoon oil, thyme, and garlic in food processor until finely ground, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, about 1 minute. Measure out and reserve 1½ tablespoons herb mixture. Combine remaining herb mixture, panko, Parmesan, and 1 tablespoon oil in bowl; set aside.
- Position roast with rough interior side (which was against bone) facing up on cutting board. Cover roast with plastic wrap and pound to even ¾-inch thickness with meat pounder. Rub surface of roast with 2 teaspoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread reserved herb mixture evenly over surface of meat, leaving 1-inch border on all sides. Starting from short side, roll roast tightly, then tie with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and heat until just smoking. Brown roast on all sides, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until meat registers 110 to 115 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes.
- Using potholders, remove skillet from oven; heat broiler. Transfer roast to carving board and remove twine. Brush top and sides of roast with mustard, then firmly press bread-crumb mixture onto coated sides with your hands to form solid, even coating that adheres to meat.
- Being careful of hot skillet handle, return roast to skillet and broil until crust is golden brown and meat registers 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare), about 5 minutes. Transfer roast to carving board and let rest for 20 minutes. Slice roast into ½-inch-thick slices. Serve.
Time
1½ hours, plus 20 minutes restingYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
A leg of lamb that comes already boned, rolled, and neatly tied from the meat case sounds like an easy shortcut to a great dinner. However, it turns out that cooking this cut is not so simple—the meat often turns out brown and rubbery, and the outer layer of fat is prone to scorching, which can result in an unappealing gamy flavor. We wanted a foolproof method for a crispy crust and perfectly cooked interior every time. We started at the supermarket; whole boneless legs are impractical for the average dinner table, but a half leg is just the right amount for six to eight people. We relied on our cast-iron skillet to jump-start the cooking process on the stovetop. Moving the roast to a gentle 375-degree oven guaranteed a juicy, tender interior. A savory crumb crust with fresh herbs, garlic, and Parmesan was the ideal complement to the tender lamb. We brushed Dijon mustard on the roast to help the crust adhere and to lend additional flavor. Applying the crust partway through cooking (after removing the twine) ensured that the roast would hold its shape and the crust would stay in place. A quick blast under the broiler at the end of cooking helped the crumbs turn crisp and brown.
Before You Begin
We prefer the sirloin end rather than the shank end of the lamb leg in this recipe for its more uniform shape, though either will work well.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Process parsley, rosemary, 1 teaspoon oil, thyme, and garlic in food processor until finely ground, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, about 1 minute. Measure out and reserve 1½ tablespoons herb mixture. Combine remaining herb mixture, panko, Parmesan, and 1 tablespoon oil in bowl; set aside.
- Position roast with rough interior side (which was against bone) facing up on cutting board. Cover roast with plastic wrap and pound to even ¾-inch thickness with meat pounder. Rub surface of roast with 2 teaspoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread reserved herb mixture evenly over surface of meat, leaving 1-inch border on all sides. Starting from short side, roll roast tightly, then tie with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and heat until just smoking. Brown roast on all sides, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until meat registers 110 to 115 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes.
- Using potholders, remove skillet from oven; heat broiler. Transfer roast to carving board and remove twine. Brush top and sides of roast with mustard, then firmly press bread-crumb mixture onto coated sides with your hands to form solid, even coating that adheres to meat.
- Being careful of hot skillet handle, return roast to skillet and broil until crust is golden brown and meat registers 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare), about 5 minutes. Transfer roast to carving board and let rest for 20 minutes. Slice roast into ½-inch-thick slices. Serve.
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