Our family finds itself searching for recipes that will be pleasing to everyone when we have dinner guests who are struggling with many allergies. Unfortunately, it seems to be quite common these days to have friends who cannot eat dairy, gluten, soy, etc., so we have to think about our options. This lamb roast is our go-to for non-vegetarians who also have a bunch of allergies. Served alongside beautiful heaping helpings of favorite vegetables, it is something that is met with smiles by most Yummies.
A leg of lamb roast is not as earthy as some cuts of lamb; it’s flavor is substantial but fairly mild at the same time. I know that some people, who will eat almost any other meat, refuse lamb. Give this cut a chance. It may be different from that heavier flavor you remember from, say, a lamb shank.
There is an additional benefit of making this roast with your Yummies. You get to put all of the ingredients in a big plastic bag and shake it all up and squish it around. Who doesn’t like to do that?
Roast Lamb with Citrus and Rosemary
*5-6 lb leg of lamb (boneless)
*1/4 c. olive oil
*2 T. fresh rosemary, chopped
*1 t. fresh thyme, chopped
*2 t. fresh mint, chopped
*juice of one small lemon
*juice of half an orange (or the juice of a whole mandarin as we used here)
*2 cloves of garlic, minced
*2 T. Yummies’ Dry Rub for Meat and Veggies or, in a pinch 2 t. paprika, 1 t. salt, and black pepper to taste
Together: in a large plastic zipper bag, combine all of the ingredients, placing the lamb in very last. Seal the bag very well, and let your mini-chef squish it around so that the ingredients completely cover and coat the lamb. Place the bag into a bowl and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.
Big Person: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Set out a roasting pan with a wire rack on top. Take the lamb out of the bag and place it on top of the rack. Put the pan into the oven and cook at 400 degrees for the first 25 minutes. Then, turn the oven down to 325 degrees F for the remaining cooking time, about 45 minutes. A meat thermometer should register 130 degrees when placed in the middle of the roast when the meat has been properly cooked.
Take the roast out of the oven and place on a cutting board. Wrap the the roast in foil and let it rest for 7-15 minutes so that the juices will not be lost. Slice and serve.
