This Slow Roast Leg of Lamb is going to take your next Sunday roast to a whole new level! It’s ULTRA EASY and very forgiving. It does take patience as it takes 4 1/2 hours in the oven, but you’ll be rewarded with lamb leg that’s fall-apart tender with an incredible rosemary garlic infused gravy.
After more roast lamb ideas? Browse all my roast lamb recipes or take the Roast Lamb Matchmaker here which will lead you to your perfect recipe!
Slow Roast Leg of Lamb
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – lamb leg should either be roasted exactly such that it’s blushing pink inside – either whole or butterflied – or long and slow so it’s ultra tender.
Blushing pink = meat thermometer or holding-your-breath-cross-your-fingers for that moment when you carve, hoping for juicy lamb rather than grey and dry. If that’s what you’re after, use this classic Whole Roast Lamb Leg recipe or my Greek Butterflied Leg of Lamb for a quicker boneless version – and yes, you really need a meat thermometer.
This recipe is for the other way – long and slow, the sort of meat you pull off the bone with tongs. It’s much easier, less stressful, and you don’t need a thermometer.
And it’s Amazing. With a capital A!
💕 Finding your perfect Roast Lamb recipe! 💕
Not that I want to deter you from using this recipe, but just so you know, I have shared quite a few roast lamb recipes over the years. Because – lamb! How I love thee!
I know it can be hard to choose with so many options so I made a fun (but genuinely useful) Roast Lamb Matchmaker to guide you based on effort level, budget, make-ahead needs, and even cuisines. Because did you know a roasted lamb shoulder reheats 100% perfectly whereas lamb leg is leaner so best served freshly made, even if it’s slow-cooked? 🙂
Take the Roast Lamb Matchmaker here to find your perfect lamb recipe!
How to make a Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb
All the lamb needs is a sprinkle of salt and pepper, drizzle of olive oil, then beef stock/broth and water in the pan which keeps everything all nice and moist + makes pan juices for gravy, cover then slow roast for 5 hours until tender and fall apart.
For an incredible hands-off version of this slow roast leg of lamb, try the Slow Cooker Roast Lamb!
Roasting bed – Put garlic, onion and rosemary in the roasting pan. This is the bed on which the lamb is roasted and it serves three purposes:
1) to keep the lamb elevated out of the pan juices for even cooking;
2) flavour the flesh that’s in contact with it; and
3) flavours the pan juices which is used to make the gravy.Season – Sprinkle the lamb leg all over with salt and pepper. In this photo, the lamb leg is the right side up which is covered with a thin layer of fat.
Upside down – Turn the lamb upside down and pour the liquids around it. Lamb leg is quite lean so it benefits from slow-cooking submerged in liquid which helps keep the meat moist. If you roast it like a regular lamb leg (right side up, exposes, no foil cover), the meat would end up terribly dry.
Drizzle the surface with oil (just the exposed surface, no need to turn the lamb over).
Slow roast – Roast for 4 1/2 hours at 170°C/325°F (150°C fan-forced) or until the meat on the underside that was submerged in the liquids can be easily pried apart using two forks.
Brown – Turn the lamb over then roast uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes or until it’s nicely browned all over.
The lamb is now ready! But it’s important to rest it for at least 15 minutes before serving which will allow the juices in the meat to redistribute throughout the meat fibres (makes the meat juicier). So transfer it to a platter and loosely cover with foil to rest while you make the gravy.
💡 USEFUL TO KNOW
The lamb will stay warm for 1 1/2 hours so you don’t need to rush the gravy, or worry about rushing to serve it freshly made.
Large roasts usually rest longer (30+ minutes), but because this one is slow-cooked to fall-apart tenderness rather than carved, it needs much less resting time.
How to make the gravy for slow-roasted meat
A great gravy comes down to the flavour in the pan juices and this one knocks it out of the park! All the tasty lamb roasting juices plus the garlic, onion and rosemary is what makes this gravy so good. Here’s how to make it – it’s a cinch!
Heat – Set the pan on the stove with all the liquid that it’s in it, including the garlic and onion which will look like a mushy sludge by now but adds a stack of great flavour into our gravy. Turn the stove on to heat the pan juices then scatter the flour over and mix it in.
Whisk in water then simmer until it becomes a gravy consistency.
Strain into a bowl, pressing all the tasty sludge out of the garlic and onion. (I really need to think of a better word that “sludge” 😆)
Pour into a gravy jug and it’s ready to use!
💡 USEFUL TO KNOW
Leftover gravy keeps in the fridge for 4 days or freezer for 3 months. Use for sausages, peas, chicken, or dress up your mash!
To make it gluten free, just skip the flour and use a cornflour slurry instead. Directions in the recipe card.
Sides to serve with roast lamb
Complete your meal! Here are a few suggestions for sides that go really well with roast lamb:
I promised this was easy, and I meant it. It’s forgiving because if the meat’s not tender enough, you can just stick it back in the oven until it is – and you can cook for even an hour beyond necessary and it’s still going to be juicy.
If the gravy gets too thick, no dramas, just add a splash of water. If the gravy is lumpy, no worries, because in this recipe, it’s strained.
In short – it’s pretty hard to stuff up. If you’re a roast lamb first-timer, just give yourself a couple of extra hours because this lamb reheats great in the microwave or oven, as does the gravy.
Sunday night roast is never going to be the same again! – Nagi x
Just before you go!
Saturday 11 April 2020 – That you are here, looking at this roast lamb recipe for Easter 2020 fills my heart with happiness because it says that you are in some way able to hold onto Easter traditions, despite being stuck at home and unable to celebrate with extended family.
But for many healthcare workers around the world, including my hometown of Sydney, they will be working too hard to celebrate Easter. These brave men and women who are literally risking their lives to save ours.
I feel morally obliged to do something, so I am running a program where you can buy a meal from a local business for our overworked Frontliners. Too exhausted to cook, many are turning to fast food and those who try to cook are faced with empty supermarket shelves.
If you would like to Shout A Meal for a Sydney Frontliner to express your thanks, please click here for my fundraiser and here is more information about my program “Shout A Meal”.
Thank you for reading, and Happy Easter! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Slow Roast Leg of Lamb
Ingredients
- 2.25 kg / 4.5 lb leg of lamb , bone in (or shoulder) (Note 1)
- 1 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (double for flakes)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 whole garlic head , unpeeled, cut in half horizontally
- 1 onion , quartered (unpeeled is fine)
- 2 rosemary sprigs (2 = whisper of rosemary flavour, 4 sprigs = stronger flavour)
- 3 cups beef stock/broth , low sodium (or homemade)
- 2 cups water
Gravy:
- 4 tbsp plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- 1 cup water
- Salt and pepper , to taste
Instructions
ABBREVIATED
- Season leg with salt and pepper, place upside down on garlic, onion and rosemary. Pour liquids in, drizzle with oil, cover with foil. Roast 4 1/2 hours at 170°C/335°F (150°C fan) until meat is pull-apart tender. Flip, return to oven 20 – 30 minutes at 200°C/390°F (180° fan) until well browned. Make gravy while resting.
FULL RECIPE
- Preheat oven to 170°C/335°F (150°C fan-forced).
- Place garlic, onion and rosemary in a metal roasting pan.
- Season lamb: Place lamb leg right side up in the pan. (Note 2) Sprinkle the surface with half the salt and pepper and rub it in.
- Turn lamb over and place it so it mostly sits on the garlic and onion. Sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper, rub it in. (Video helpful here)
- Add liquids and cover: Drizzle lamb with olive oil. Pour broth and water around the lamb – it won't cover it, that's ok, the lamb sinks into it. Cover with foil (don't use a lid, you want a bit of liquid to steam out).
- Slow roast: Place in the oven and roast for 4 1/2 hours. (See Notes for roasting time table)
- Check meat: Remove from the oven, remove foil. Turn lamb over. Check it to ensure the meat is tender enough to pry a bit off easily with a fork. If not, return, covered, to oven.
- Brown lamb: Return uncovered lamb to the oven and roast for a further 40 minutes or until well browned all over. (Don't increase the temperature as then it doesn't brown as evenly)
- Rest: Remove lamb, spoon over pan juices generously. Transfer to serving platter, cover loosely with foil while you make the gravy (stays warm for 1 – 1 1/2 hours).
Gravy:
- Skim fat: Use a large spoon to skim off and discard some of the fat from the surface of the liquid.
- Add flour: Place pan on the stove on medium high. When the liquid bubbles, add flour. Use a whisk to mix it in – this may take a few minutes as the liquid reduces.
- Add water: Once it looks like sludge (see video), whisk in 1/2 – 1 cup of water until it becomes a gravy consistency to your taste. Adjust salt and pepper to taste – I rarely add extra salt.
- Strain gravy into a bowl, pressing juices out of the onion etc. Pour gravy into jug.
Serving:
- The meat is tender so you will only need tongs to tear the meat off. Serve with gravy!
Recipe Notes:
6. Gluten-free gravy – Skip the flour. Mix 2 1/2 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch with 3 tbsp water and use in place of the flour.
Servings – Allow ~350g/12 oz uncooked bone-in meat weight per person, so a 2.25kg /4.5 pound leg will serve ~6 people. I know this sounds like a lot of meat per person, but you lose more weight with slow cooked meats than roasting leg to blushing pink. plus the bone is sizeable and nobody can carve every scrap of meat off the bone. 🙂
Make-ahead – This is best served freshly made as leg is quite lean so it just isn’t as succulent when reheated. It stays warm for 1 hour so you needn’t worry about being 100% precise with cook timing. Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, or freezer for 3 months.
Nutrition per serving assuming 10 servings.
Nutrition – Calories in the nutrition are higher than actual because I do not know how to adjust for the fat that is skimmed off the liquid before making the gravy. I usually throw out about 1/3 cup which means the calories is probably closer to 500 calories per serving, and that’s assuming all the gravy is consumed.Nutrition Information:
Originally published May 2017. Updated for housekeeping matters April 2020 and 2026 – no change to recipe!
More Roast Lamb Recipes
I love a good roast lamb – so I’ve shared a few over the years! Here are some of my favourites – or browse the whole recipe collection.
Best of Sunday Supper Roasts
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The time I had ambitions for him to be the next Kleenex puppy…
Excited to try this tonight! I have a 1.4kg lamb leg, should I halve them cooking time?
Hi Samantha, use the 2kg cook time. Enjoy!! N x
If I want to add potatoes to this, when can I do that.
Hi Mansour, it all depends how you want to roast them, what potatoes they are and how big they are, I would keep them on a separate tray though. N x
Came out so good, I always wanted suculent tender lamb, now I can do it myself thanks to your simple straightforward recipe! Oh yes and so convenient just stick it in the oven and go about your daily routine.
Very very tasty although it didnt quite ” fall off the bone”. I didnt want to leave it in the oven any longer because it was starting to dry out though. I’ll try a shoulder next time.
Oh and the gravy was DELICIOUS!
Hi Bronwen, if it wasn’t quite tender, it just needs to cook longer until the meat breaks down and becomes soft. You’ll love shoulder though, it has more fat through it so won’t dry out 🙂 N x
I tried for years to roast lamb properly. This recipe delivers restaurant-grade results every time and takes 5 minutes to prepare.
My only modification is to use two onions cut into thirds the same way as the garlic, makes a much more stable base.
Thanks, Nagi. Yours is the only website I need because you anticipate my questions every time. Keep up the excellent work.
Hi there! I have used this recipe over and over as it is absolutely brilliant and always super yummy!
I am wanting to make this tonight but unfortunately don’t have fresh rosemary or garlic (sad face!!😭) will it be okay without!? Or does it absolutely need them? I have garlic powder and rosemary but I feel as though it just won’t be the same and will change the flavour?
( just trying to avoid a trip to the shop lol 😆)
Dried rosemary and garlic powder will still turnout great. I also used dried oregano.
This was amazing. Lashed out on a great leg of lamb from the butcher. I used half beef and half vegetable stock, otherwise followed exactly. The gravy was delicious. It’s 8:15pm and my daughter is still picking at the leftovers! Fantastic recipe, thanks 🙂
Hi – can I use chicken broth instead of beef?
Hi Amna, you can although I find it doesn’t have the depth of flavour that beef has. You can easily “beef” it up with a splash of Worcestershire. N x
I have made this recipe so many times, and it’s always utterly spectacular. It tastes amazing, the meat melts off and the gravy is the best I’ve every tried. Everyone I’ve cooked this for can’t believe how good it is and it’s also become their favourite recipe too.
I made this tonight and omg it was absolutely delicious and so beautifully tender. Great recipe 👌
Hi Nagi,
I am looking forward to trying your recipe. I only have 1.5kg as it is only for 2 people. Can you please let me know how you would recommend adjusting the cooking time?
Hi Nagi, really want to try this but I can only get a boneless leg of lamb where I live, how would i adjust cooking time for this? Thx
Hi Rebecca,
I made this last night with boneless leg of lamb (4.5lb).
I used cooking time as written. It was beautiful. I threw small potatoes in there from the beginning yet they didn’t get mushy and they were flavored and yummy.
Hi Rebecca,
I made this last night with boneless leg of lamb( about 4.5lb). I used cooking time as written. I was worried like you. Yet, it came out beautifully and I even threw small potatoes in there and they didn’t get mushy and they were seasoned and yummy.
A wonderful easy way to roast a shoulder of lamb. The gravy was also superb.
I always look forward to your email with simple, tasty recipes; thank you.
I’ve made this recipe every Sunday for the past month and my family love it so much they keep asking for it!
Yum yum yum, I’ll never cook a roast lamb any other way, thank you Nagi for another fantastic recipe.
I’m so glad you loved it Ron – low and slow is the ultimate way to fool-proof lamb isn’t it?! N x
Definitely a fall apart leg of lamb. I used the Greek lamb spices instead which worked out fine, so I think as long as you use the same cooking times, temperature and level of liquid, any type of spices and herbs would work. This is perfect for lockdown as you’ll have the lamb on the oven basically all day, but it is well worth it!
Hi, this sounds delicious! Can I prepare it the night before and reheat it for lunch the next day? What’s the best way for it not to dry out?
Hi Dana, it’s slow cooked and super moist and tender there should be no risk of it drying out. I would microwave covered to reheat though – enjoy!! N x
I’m usually not a huge fan of lamb but followed your recipe and cooked a really nice meal for family and friends. I included your crispy smashed potatoes, broccoli au gratin (yum!!) and roasted carrots….everything was so delicious! I’ve always avoided cooking a roast for friends as I get stressed about it turning out perfectly, but everyone raved about the whole meal. Thanks Nagi, love your recipes!
I would highly recommend this recipe!!! I tried it for the first time tonight and will never cook a leg of lamb any other way again. Just a note- some parts were a little dry, but I think that was because the leg I used was only 1.7kg. Next time I’ll use a 2-2.25kg leg.
The most succulent tender and tasty lamb. Thank you for a great recipe. Certainly worth the wait!! Love your recipes.
When I told my husband that I would cook lamb he was upset because he did’t like lamb. But after tasted this long cooked lamb, he was very happy and proud of me.