Butterflied Lamb Leg with Garlic and Rosemary | Heritage Meat

Some time ago, I posted a recipe for a butterflied lamb leg with pomegranate salsa.

www.heritagemeat.co.nz/blogs/recipes/butterflied-lamb-leg-with-pomegranate-salsa

This is a stunning dish, and one of our regular ‘go-to’s’ on Christmas day and for spring and summer dinner parties. However, it does involve a fair bit of prep.

Below is a far simpler, quick and easy recipe, utilising flavours that lamb combines with beautifully, rosemary and garlic.

I love the flavour profile the combination of lamb caramelisation, the rendered lamb fat, butter, garlic and rosemary give this dish. Served with some crunchy lemon potatoes and a salad, with a crisp white wine, this will take you to a Greek terrace, whitewashed houses, blue skies, and the blue of the Mediterranean sparkling in the distance!

Rosemary and Garlic Butterflied Lamb Leg

Ingredients

1 x butterflied lamb leg (about 1 -1.5kg)

2.5 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

300g butter, salted

1 cup of love

8 cloves fresh garlic, crushed

1 heaped tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped (Dry will suffice if you have no fresh rosemary)

Instructions

1. Preheat the barbecue or large pan to a medium heat. 
2. Pat the lamb dry with paper towels. 
3. Cut a crosshatch in the fat cap, scoring the fat only (don’t cut into the meat!). 
4. Season the lamb with salt generously on both sides. 
5. Once the griddle is pre-heated, rub in the olive oil, then salt,  then immediately set the lamb fat-side down, pressing firmly to establish contact with the surface. Allow to cook, undisturbed, for 5 minutes, allowing the fat cap to render down.. 
6. Increase the heat to a searing heat, then turn and cook a further 5 minutes on the other side. 
7. While the lamb is initially rendering, add the butter, garlic and rosemary to a pan and gently warm through until melted. 
8. Spoon some of the the mixture over the top of the lamb, and then turn once again and cook a further 5 minutes. 
9. Spoon more of the mixture over the seared side, the turn one final time and cook for 5 minutes or until the thickest part of the lamb reads 52 degrees Celsius on a meat thermometer (rare, but will come up to a medium rare with resting time). This is a total of at least 4 flips and about 20 minutes of cooking time. 
10. Rest the lamb for 10 minutes, loosely tented with foil, and slice to serve, drizzling the final bit of butter, garlic and rosemary as you serve.