Roasted Leg of Lamb with Avgolemono Sauce
Nothing beats roasting a whole leg of lamb. Roasting the leg of lamb directly on the oven rack will allow the meat to evenly brown and caramelize on all sides. While this recipe is best in the oven, it’s easily adaptable for the grill, cooking over medium indirect heat. I love to serve it with a Greek-style avgolemono sauce, a lemon and egg sauce that’s rich and tangy.
Watch Andrew make this recipe:
Roasted Leg of Lamb with Avgolemono Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons rosemary, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup dill, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons oregano, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup garlic, minced
- Salt
- Pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- One 5 to 8 pound boneless leg of lamb, at room temperature
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 large eggs
- Roasted vegetables, such as carrots, leeks, fennel and onion, for serving
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, mix together the rosemary, dill, oregano, garlic, salt, pepper and vegetable oil.
Poke the lamb all over with a small, sharp knife, then rub the herb mixture all of the lamb, stuffing it into the holes.
Place the lamb directly on the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Put a sheet tray underneath the lamb to catch the drippings. Roast for about 1 hour 30 minutes, or about 12 minutes per pound, until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat registers 145 degrees F. Transfer the lamb to a carving board and let rest for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Skim the fat off of the sheet tray, leaving the drippings and browned bits behind. Set the sheet tray on a burner and pour the chicken stock over the drippings, whisking to loosen all of the browned bits. Tip that mixture into a saucepan. Add the white wine and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and cook until reduced to 1 cup, 5 to 7 minutes.
In a medium bowl, add a pinch of salt, the remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and the eggs. Very gradually whisk in 1/4 cup of the reduced stock, then gradually whisk in the rest. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of dill and season the sauce with salt and pepper. Carve the lamb and serve with roasted vegetables and the sauce.
