3 Amazing Leg of Lamb Recipes You Need to Know About This Easter

1. Moroccan-style barbecued leg of lamb

First up is a barbequed Moroccan-style leg of lamb. We understand that barbequing a leg of lamb for Easter might seem a bit strange. But, who said you can’t put a twist on traditions!?

First of all, gather the below ingredients: 

• 2kg butterflied leg of lamb
• 50g melted butter
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp coriander
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp thyme leaves
• 3 crushed garlic cloves
• Zest and juice 1 lemon

For the sauce:

• 1 tsp harissa
• Handful of fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
• 300g Greek yoghurt

Step 1 

Start off by mixing the melted butter and the olive oil in a bowl, then stir in the spices, thyme, garlic, lemon zest, and juice. Proceed with adding in the harissa, 1 teaspoon of salt, plenty of freshly ground black pepper and mix well.

Step 2 

Next, put the butterflied lamb in a large shallow dish, drizzle over the marinade, and use your hands to rub the marinade all over the meat. Then, cover loosely with foil or cling film and leave to marinate for a minimum of 2 hours.

Step 3 

Light the barbecue and add plenty of coals. When it is ready, add the lamb, fat-side down, and cook on high heat for 5 minutes, until well browned. Turn over the lamb leg and cook for an additional 5 minutes until the other side is well browned as well.

Step 4 

Move the coals to the sides of the barbecue to reduce the heat under the meat and cook more gently for 30-40 minutes, turning occasionally. This timing will give you pink meat. Then, remove the meat to a large board and cover tightly with foil. Leave to rest for 10-15 minutes.

Step 5 

For the sauce, fold the harissa,  add a little salt and the coriander into the yoghurt. Cut the lamb into thick slices and serve with the sauce and couscous, for that extra Moroccan flare.

Lastly, serve everything together and brace yourself for all the praise you’re guaranteed to receive!

2. Herb-crusted leg of lamb with red wine gravy

Up next is a succulent herb-crusted leg of lamb with red wine gravy. Sounds delicious, right? Keep on reading the below to find out exactly what you need to do to prepare this mouth-watering dish.

Ingredients: 

• 2kg leg of lamb
• 3 small and sliced garlic cloves
• 2 onions cut into chunks
• 1 carrot cut into chunks
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard

For the Crust

• 175g white breadcrumb (a few days old is best)
• Small bunch of finely chopped parsley
• Small bunch of finely chopped bunch mint
• 5 rosemary sprigs, leaves finely chopped
• 2 fat and crushed garlic cloves
• 3 ½ tbsp olive oil

For the gravy

• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 400ml red wine
• 1l lamb or beef stock
• 1-2 tsp Dijon mustard
• knob of butter

Step 1 

Heat the oven to 220°C and make little slits all over the lamb leg, using a sharp knife. Then, insert the sliced garlic into each hole. Grab the carrot and onion chunks, put them in a large roasting tin, place the lamb leg on top and season with some salt and pepper. Next, pour 250ml water into the base of the tin and roast in the oven for 30 mins.

Step 2 

While the leg of lamb is roasting in the oven, start preparing the crust by mixing the breadcrumbs, parsley, mint, rosemary, crushed garlic, and olive oil together, and seasoning well with salt and pepper. After the 30 minutes have passed, remove the lamb from the oven and reduce the heat to 190°C. Then, brush the mustard all over the lamb and pack on a thick layer of the crust. Put the leg of lamb back into the oven and cook for a further 1 hour 30 minutes, checking the lamb during cooking and adding in more water to the base of the tin if it dries out.

Step 3  

Take out the lamb leg from the tin and cover it lightly with foil, do not cover it tightly in order to avoid having the crust become soggy and leave it to rest for about 30 to 40 minutes.

Step 4 

It’s finally time to make the gravy. Put the same roasting tin (with the vegetables still in it) directly on heat, whisk in the flour, and cook for a minute. Add in the wine, allowing it to bubble for 1 minute, then pour in the stock and bring to boil. Next, let everything simmer for up to 15 minutes until thickened whilst stirring in a little of the reserved crust for a thicker gravy. Strain the gravy through a sieve into a pan, discarding the vegetables left in the sieve. Add mustard to taste and stir through the butter.

We promise, the second you have the first bite, all the prep time will be more than worth it.

3. Maple and chilli glazed leg of lamb

Short on prep time this Easter? No worries, this simple yet scrumptious 3-step recipe is perfect for anyone with less time on their hands.

Ingredients:

• 2kg butterflied leg of lamb
• 1 bunch of rosemary, snipped into 2cm lengths

For the glaze:

• 100ml maple syrup
• 50g Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp yeast extract
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 3 sliced medium green chillies

Step 1 

Start off by putting the butterflied leg of lamb on a board and make about 20 holes all over the skin side, using a sharp knife. Follow by seasoning the lamb all over with some salt and pepper.

Step 2 

Now, it’s time to prepare the glaze. Start off by tipping all the ingredients into a small saucepan, reserving a few sliced chillies. Bring to boil and stir to combine, then remove from the heat and set aside. Next, light the barbeque and wait until the coals are ashen.

Step 3 

Lay the lamb, skin-side down, on the grill and cook for 10 minutes. Then, turn over the leg of lamb and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Repeat this process twice more for 5 minutes on each side, giving the lamb a total of 30 minutes to cook. Baste with the glaze, turn the lamb again and keep basting for another 10 minutes until deep brown and sticky. Remove to a board, cover loosely and leave to rest for 20 minutes. Carve into thin slices to serve, then scatter over the reserved sliced chillies.

Voilà! A simple yet utterly delicious leg of lamb recipe that’s guaranteed to have your family thinking you’ve turned into a pro chef overnight.

Whatever recipe you choose to opt for, you’re guaranteed to have everyone queuing for an invite for the next Easter celebration. Click here to get your hands on a premium quality leg of lamb or, if you’re really short on prep time, click here and have a look at our oven-ready gourmet Easter menu.