Slow Roast Lamb with Oregano, Mint and Rosemary
Total time
Author: Helen Papaconstantinos
Recipe type: Entree
- 1 leg of fresh leg of lamb, bone in, (about 2 kgs/ 5-6 pounds)
- 3 large cloves of garlic for stuffing in skin plus 2 for the pan
- 2 TBS olive oil
- Sea salt for rubbing over the meat to clean it
- Freshly ground pepper
- 3 tsp dried oregano
- 3 tsp dried mint
- 3 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 medium-sized onions, peeled & quartered
- 2 or 3 celery stalks
- Juice of less than ½ a cut lemon – you will be using about 2 TBS juice
- 1 cup water
- Wash the lamb under cold running water. Place in an oval roasting pan that just fits the leg.
- Rub salt and lemon juice over the leg to remove any impurities.
- With a wet paper towel, rub off the salt mixture.
- Peel the skins off the 3 garlic cloves and slice them into slivers.
- With a paring knife make a number of slits all over the leg.
- Stick in a sliver of garlic in each opening.
- Pour the olive oil over the lamb (about 2 or 3 tablespoons).
- Massage in the black pepper, mint, oregano and rosemary to flavour the meat and to evenly distribute the spices everywhere including the bottom.
- Underneath the lamb, place a quartered onion, 2 whole cloves of garlic, and the celery stalks.
- Leave to marinate for up to 3 hours.
- Preheat oven to 370 F.
- Sprinkle salt and lemon juice (less than half a lemon) over the lamb.
- Pour 1 cup broth down the side of the pan (being careful not to disturb the spices. Cover and roast for 30 minutes).
- After half an hour, reduce temperature to 350F.
- Bake in the oven for another 1.5 hours– until very tender.
- Take the lid off and let the lamb ‘rest’ for 15-20 minutes before carving.Drain off the fat from the juices.
- After carving, sprinkle each piece with a bit of the garlicky and lemony juices.
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