Christmas Dinner
A lot of people seek out alternatives to turkey for Christmas dinner, trying to avoid a repeat of the Thanksgiving feast. Beef, such as prime rib or a whole tenderloin, is popular, and a good choice. But lamb, too, serves admirably as the centerpiece of a special meal.
For a small crowd, try roasting a whole leg—it yields lots of servings with little effort.
This recipe adapted from Strauss Brands, a meat producer, takes about 15 minutes to prep and can be ready in as little as 2 hours.
If you prefer not to use a spice rub, substitute seasoned salt or simply salt and pepper.
Roasted Leg of Lamb with Roasted Garlic
Makes 8 servings.
1 bone-in Strauss Leg of Lamb (8 to 10 pounds)
10 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon (approx.) spice rub of your choice, or enough to coat entire lamb leg
1 lemon, halved
6 bay leaves (optional)
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Using a paring knife, make 20 small incisions (about half an inch deep) all over the lamb.
3. Place half of garlic clove in each of the slits.
4. Rub olive oil over surface of lamb.
5. Squeeze fresh lemon halves over surface of lamb.
6. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon spice rub over lamb, evenly coating the entire surface. Use more spice rub, if desired.
7. Using kitchen twine tie on 6 bay leaves dispersed over lamb leg (adding the bay leaves is optional)
8. If desired, cover in plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.
9. (Remove lamb from refrigerator and take off the plastic wrap.) Place lamb in a large roasting pan and roast in pre-heated oven for about 15 minutes per pound. For medium rare, a meat thermometer inserted into the center should register at 145 degrees. For an accurate reading, make sure the thermometer does not touch the bone.
10. Remove lamb from oven and place on cutting board. Allow lamb to rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing.
Recipe and photo courtesy of Strauss Brands.
