The Absolute Best Way to Cook a Tender, Juicy Leg of Lamb, According to Australian Chef Curtis Stone

Curtis Stone + Leg of lamb

A roast leg of lamb is a centerpiece dish that's perfect for a special meal. It's great year-round, but it's especially lovely for spring occasions, like Easter. The only issue? If you don't cook lamb very often it can be a little intimidating, particularly if you're counting on the dish to be the star of your holiday table.

To help make sure you cook up a tender, juicy leg of lamb we went to one of our favorite chefs, Curtis Stone, who has a few thoughts about lamb. One of the Australian chef's cooking inspirations is his paternal grandmother Maude, whom he named one of his L.A. restaurants after. She was from Yorkshire and "her roast lamb was classic English fare fit for royalty," says Stone.

But that's not where the family lamb connection ends. Stone was also inspired by his maternal grandmother, Gwen, who lived on a farm outside of Melbourne. He learned about raising livestock on Gwen's farm, which helped inspire him to become a chef and eventually open a butcher shop and restaurant in L.A. that he named after his grandmother.

These days, in true SoCal style, Stone likes to wrap a leg of lamb in fresh rosemary branches and slowly roast the meat in a wood-burning oven. But even if you don't have that dreamy set up at your house, Stone says that it's easier than you think to roast a leg of lamb in your kitchen. We chatted with him to find out how to roast a leg of lamb perfectly every time.

Related: 14 Best Leg of Lamb Recipes for Easter

How to Shop for a Leg of Lamb

Before you get cooking, it's important to know what you're looking for at the grocery store.

“I noticed [that] lamb in the U.S. is typically bigger off a heavier carcass, which would indicate that it's got a bit more age on it,” says Stone. A bigger, older animal typically has more fat and lamb fat is often the reason some people find lamb to have a gamier flavor than other meats.

For roasting, Stone prefers a leg of lamb “that’s a little smaller and a little leaner.” A younger lamb (between 6 and 9 months) will provide a more tender cut that's great for roasting, if you can find it. When you're shopping, ask your butcher if the lamb was grass-fed or grain-fed. Stone prefers grass-fed lamb because of their “beautiful flavor.”

Another thing to consider when you're buying your leg of lamb is if you want a bone-in or boneless cut. “Bone-in leg of lamb has a really nice flavor that you get from cooking it on the bone. You get a little bit more sweetness to it,” Stone says. A bone-in leg of lamb also looks pretty impressive on a platter, if that's important to you. “If you cook it boneless, it's usually slightly more tender.” Another bonus for a boneless leg of lamb is that it's easier to carve.

Related: Best Instant Pot Leg of Lamb

What Size Leg of Lamb Do I Need?

What size leg of lamb you need depends on a few things: whether it's bone-in or boneless, how hungry your guests are and how many leftovers you'd like to have. For a ballpark figure, you can plan on buying 2/3 of a pound of bone-in lamb or 1/3 of a pound of boneless lamb per person. Also, remember that your butcher is a built-in expert at your grocery store (or butcher store), so never hesitate to ask for help when trying to figure out how much and what cut to buy.

How to Cook a Leg of Lamb 

Now that you have your leg of lamb sorted, it's time to get cooking. Here's what you need to know.

Take the chill off

Stone says the first step to cooking a great leg of lamb is tempering it, which means taking the meat out of the fridge and letting it sit at room temperature for about an hour. Starting with lamb that's not fresh out of the fridge is one of the ways to get a leg of lamb that's “a beautiful pink all the way through,” says Stone.

Start with a sear

Next, Stone heats a pan over medium-high and sears the leg of lamb before seasoning it. He recommends searing it on all sides until the roast is golden brown. That color will translate to flavor as the meat cooks. Searing the lamb should take about five minutes, but make sure to keep an eye on it and note that bone-in may take slightly longer. While the meat is searing, begin the seasoning process with a generous amount of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Season it well

If you're cooking a boneless leg of lamb, you can “add flavor in the cavity where the bones have been removed,” Stone tells Parade. For bone-in leg of lamb, you can just rub the seasonings on the outside of the meat.

When it comes to seasoning, you can choose your own adventure. Stone likes to use garlic confit (garlic cloves simmered in oil until they're soft and spreadable), anchovies and olives. You can also keep things simple and use a mix of finely chopped garlic and finely grated lemon zest. Rub the mixture all over the seared leg of lamb before putting it in the oven.

Related: 35 Best Ground Lamb Recipes

Ready to roast

Stone recommends cooking a leg of lamb at 350? for about an hour (plan on 20 to 25 minutes per pound). “I always think lamb is better cooked more medium than medium rare. Certainly not rare,” he said. Once you reach your desired temperature (see below), let the lamb rest for 30 minutes before carving.

How Long Should You Cook a Leg of Lamb?

To help you gauge how long your roast should take, we took a look at the American Lamb Board's recommendations. They favor cooking a leg of lamb at 325°, so keep in mind your cooking time might be a bit shorter if you're in the chef Stone 350° camp. These are the times that you should pull the meat out of the oven, and let it rest. As the lamb rests, the internal temperature will increase by approximately 10 degrees.

Bone-In Leg of Lamb (5-7 pounds)
Medium-rare (145°): 20-25 minutes per pound
Medium (160°): 25-30 minutes per pound
Well-done (170°): 30-35 minutes per pound

Boneless Leg of Lamb (4-7 pounds)
Medium-rare (145°): 20-25 minutes per pound
Medium (160°): 25-30 minutes per pound
Well-done (170°): 30-35 minutes per pound

What to Serve With Roasted Leg of Lamb

Honestly, it might be easier to list what you shouldn't serve with leg of lamb. This versatile protein plays well with lots of side dishes, particularly all the springy things. Here are a few recipe ideas to get you started.

? Life-Changing, Extra-Crispy Roasted Potatoes
? Simple Oven-Roasted Asparagus
? Potato Gratin with Gruyere and Fresh Rosemary
? Roasted Carrots with Thyme
? Spring Snap Pea Toss
? Donna Kelce's Famous Dinner Rolls

Up next: I'm Only Making Jacques Pépin's French-Style Deviled Eggs From Now On