Sandra's Roast Leg of Lamb

Ingredients

• 1.leg of lamb
• 2.garlic, finely chopped
• 3.black pepper, freshly ground
• 4.dried rosemary, crushed
• 5.5 ml lamb seasoning, optional
• 6.5 ml dried parsley
• 7.5 ml dried origanum (oregano)
• 8.salt, added only after initial roasting — see method
• 9.juniper berries
• 10.fresh rosemary, sprigs
• 11.125 ml oil
• 12.125 ml lemon juice
• 13.butter, kneaded with flour, for gravy
• 14.beef stock cube, for gravy
• 15.water

Method

1. 1.Rub leg well with the garlic, lots of ground black pepper, a generous amount of crushed rosemary, the dried parsley and the origanum.
2. 2.Let stand in fridge for a few hours for the flavours to be absorbed.
3. 3.PLEASE NOTE: YOU HAVE NOT USED ANY SALT AT THIS STAGE.
4. 4.Place the seasoned leg in an open shallow pan. Do not add water or fat.
5. 5.Roast at 425°F/220°C for ¾–1 hour until sealed and brown. Turn fairly often.
6. 6.Remove roast from oven and salt lightly.
7. 7.Reduce oven temperature to 375°F/190°C.
8. 8.Sprinkle a few juniper berries and a few sprigs rosemary over the meat.
9. 9.Pour over the oil and the lemon juice.
10. 10.Roast the lamb a further 1¼–2 hours or until done. Baste often — if need be add a little water at a time to replace the oil and lemon juice.
11. 11.GRAVY: Transfer leg to a warm platter and tent with foil to keep warm while you make the gravy.
12. 12.Allow lamb drippings to stand a few minutes to cool in the roasting pan. Remove all but 1–2 tablespoons of the fat.
13. 13.Set roasting pan over medium heat and stir in the knob of butter kneaded with the flour. Stir in a crushed beef cube.
14. 14.Using a wooden spoon, stir until the gravy is smooth and brown in colour.
15. 15.Gradually add water, a little at a time, until desired consistency has been reached. During cooking, stir and scrape all drippings into the gravy.
16. 16.Simmer a little while till gravy is slightly reduced and a little syrupy. Strain and serve.

Notes

• Salt is deliberately withheld until after the initial high-heat roasting to allow the herbs and garlic to penetrate the meat first.
• Alternative basting liquid: 1 cup orange juice + ¼ cup dry white wine + juice and zest of 1 lemon, instead of the oil and lemon juice mixture.
• You may also replace the oil with all or part olive oil, if preferred.
• Source: pages 30–31 of Adobe Scan 24 Feb 2026.pdf.