This small Air Fryer Butterflied Lamb Leg Joint is a fuss free way to roast lamb. It’s quick to cook and unlike many cuts of lamb, extremely easy to carve. It’s a great option for a weeknight dinners, but impressive enough for a Sunday feast or entertaining. Vary the seasonings and lamb is incredibly versatile too.
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I’ve air fried quite a lot of different cuts of lamb at this point. From half lamb legs and half shoulders to loin chops, delicious lamb ribs and a boneless rolled shoulder roast. They each have different qualities and I do tend to gravitate more to the bone-in cuts.
But the more I’ve been experimenting with these boneless cuts, the more I’m converted. They really are so much easier to carve and serve. As an impatient person, this is a delight. The other bonus is that the meat cooks very evenly which is especially helpful when trying to achieve a perfect medium or medium-rare.
It is important to note that these air frying instructions are for a small pre-prepared butterflied lamb leg fillet – not a full boneless lamb leg. This serves 2 nicely or 3-4 as part of a bigger feast. I’ve also included instructions for how to make a simple gravy from the collected meat juices and fats.
How to Serve
Roasted lamb leg is very versatile. It isn’t just for serving as a traditional British roast dinner as I have.
It is delicious served Mexican or Tex-Mex style in tacos or wraps or with rice or noodles and something saucy as an Asian meal. Veer towards a Middle Eastern vibe, stuff into Greek style gyros or head to France for a classically cooked meal.
Try some of my favourite mini feasts –
- Roast Dinner – crispy duck fat roast potatoes with simply buttered spring greens, honey roasted parsnips and proper Yorkshire puddings. Don’t forget the homemade mint sauce!
- Turkish Feast – start with a bed of Turkish style rice, add store bought or homemade hummus and yoghurt sauce, grilled courgettes and a salad of shredded red cabbage and crispy green lettuce. Add quick pickled red onions and some flatbreads to round out the meal.
- Lighter Mediterranean Meal – Keep things summery with lemony green beans, confit cherry tomatoes and garlic herb roasted potato cubes. Add a dressed green salad or rocket/arugula or spinach leaves.
Ingredients
Lamb
The boneless lamb leg joint that I have air fried was bought ready prepared. It is quite small at only 600g/21oz and so is clearly not a whole butterflied lamb leg. This cooks quickly and is great for a smaller dinner.
You may find boneless lamb leg that has been rolled and tied into a joint like the lamb shoulder joint I’ve shared previously. If you wish to keep it rolled, then it would be better for you to follow the rolled shoulder recipe as the cooking times will be different. Otherwise you can simply snip off the string and unroll it.
Oil
I’ve used a neutral vegetable oil to simply provide a base recipe with neutral flavour. It is important to oil the meat as this allows the seasoning to adhere to the lamb. It also speeds up the browning process on the outside of the lamb and helps to prevent it from drying out.
You can use any other oil that you please but it is important to make sure that any oil with a pronounced flavour will fit into the flavour profile of how you intend to serve the lamb. For example olive oil would be appropriate for most European or Middle Eastern meals whereas coconut oil might be complementary for certain Asian dishes. But it would be weird to swap them over.
Seasoning
Again for the purposes of simplicity, I have simply seasoned the lamb with sea salt flakes. I prefer to use Maldon brand. If you wish to use free flowing table salt, you will probably want to halve the quantity given in the recipe. Sea salt flakes are milder in flavour so you generally use more of it.
You can add other herbs, spices or mixed seasonings as your heart desires. Like with the oil, it is best to think about how the flavours you use complement the oil, the lamb and the rest of the meal that you’re serving.
Allergen Information
This recipe is free from egg, dairy, gluten and nuts.
Please note that this recipe may contain other allergens not referred to above and any variations suggested have not been tested unless otherwise stated. For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.
How Long to Air Fry Butterflied Lamb Leg Joint
This 600g/21oz lamb joint cooks in a total of 25 minutes. I like to turn the meat after 15 minutes to really give the lamb the best opportunity to cook really evenly.
It is also important to allow the lamb to rest properly after cooking. I suggest wrapping the lamb in foil and allowing it to sit for around 10 minutes. This is a good opportunity to make a sauce using the meat juices and to get any other side dishes ready.
How to Air Fry Lamb Leg Fillet From Frozen
I don’t suggest cooking large pieces of meat like this from frozen. It is too difficult to get the inside cooked just right before the outside of the meat dries out.
It is best to allow the lamb to thoroughly defrost before drying it well and adding the oil and seasoning.
Leftovers – Storage & Reheating
Leftovers will keep in the fridge for several days or can be frozen to keep in the longer term. I generally prefer to keep leftover joints of me uncut rather than in slices where possible. Once chilled thoroughly, the meat will slice nice and thin and there won’t be any loss of juices. YOu can serve
To reheat leftovers, I prefer to steam them in a way. Either in the microwave with a drop of water or if this isn’t possible, in the air fryer. To do this I gently wrap the slices meat in tin foil along with a tiny bit of water. Air fry at a high temperature until the meat is piping hot all the way through.
Common Air Fryer Questions – A Brief Guide to Air Frying
- What exactly is an air fryer?
- What are the benefits of using an air fryer?
- Are all air fryers the same?
- Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
- Do air fryers need to be pre-heated?
- What is the best temperature to air fry at?
- What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
- Can food be cooked from frozen in an air fryer?
- Can I reheat food in an air fryer?
- Are air fryer liners a good idea?
The Air Fried Feast Community
Come on over to Facebook and join my community discussing all things air fryer. Get involved in sharing your experiences and trials, help out others and find out what wonderful things everyone is cooking in their air fryers!
What Exactly is an Air Fryer?
Very simply, an air fryer is a small convection (fan) oven. The benefit is that the hot air is circulated all around the food being cooked which speeds up the cooking time and cooks the food more evenly.
What are the Benefits of Using an Air Fryer?
Size, time and energy usage. Air fryers are ideal for cooking smaller quantities. Heating up a space that the food just fits into requires less energy and means that the heat source is much closer to the food. Combining these two things can speed up the cooking time.
Are all air fryers the same?
Nope! The term air fryer is now used very broadly. I consider there to be 4 main types:
Basket Air Fryers
These are what I would consider to be the most common, especially in the UK. A boxy type unit has a pull out drawer/basket. Food isn’t usually visible whilst cooking.
Some larger models have two drawers so different items can be cooked at different temperatures or for different times.
This is the type that you’ll see in the images in this recipe. I mostly use a Cosori Lite 3.8L (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal. It isn’t an overly expensive or fancy model.
I’ve also recommended to several friends and family the model with a slightly larger basket. This is the Cosori 4.7L (CAF-L501) with a 4.7 litre basket. The unit is no larger than the 3.8 litre model on the outside but does have a larger internal basket capacity. I’ve since bought this version to use for some recipes where my smaller model was just too small. I’ll always note this in the recipe.
Rotary Air Fryers
Round air fryers with a paddle in the centre that rotates to move the food. This is the type I used for years – the most common is a Tefal Actifry.
Rotary types are not usually good for recipes where the food is breaded, glazed, likely to break up or in a tray/container. They do however make the best chips and roasted veg.
My 2 in 1 version like the one I’ve linked also has a rotating tray for things that could be broken up by a paddle, but the height clearance with the lid isn’t deep enough to use it to cook some items like sausage rolls. I’ve now actually retired by Actifry in favour of having my two basket type fryers.
Mini Oven Air Fryers
These usually have a glass door, shelves and overall are really quite large. You can cook quite a decent quantity of food in them so are best if regularly cooking for multiple people. They often come with extra features like a rotisserie spit or kebab skewers.
Multicookers with Air Fryer Functions
Some like Ninja 11 in 1 and some of the earlier versions with a few less functions, have an air fryer option. They mostly operate the same as a basket fryer but the basket drops in the top rather than sliding in like a drawer.
Some electric pressure cookers like Instant Pots can also air fry when used with a specific lid.
Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
As much as I do love air frying, the honest answer to this is no. And the more detailed answer is that it will always depend on what you’re cooking, how much of it you’re cooking and what type and size of air fryer you have.
Once you need to cook in more than 2 batches, it often makes more sense to use an oven. If you already have the oven on to cook other items, it may make more sense to throw one more item in rather than using an additional appliance.
I don’t think either method is often necessarily better than the other. The important point to note is that there is absolutely no difference in the finished product.
Do Air Fryers Need to Be Pre-Heated?
The answer to this is rather annoying – it depends. It depends entirely on your model and type of air fryer. The best advice I can offer is to check your manual and follow their guidance. My Cosori models have a preheat function. I press a button and it heats at 205c/400f for 4 minutes.
It’s also worth noting that regardless of whether you are supposed to pre-heat or not, if you are cooking in batches, it is quite likely that anything after the first batch will cook a little quicker because of the retained heat. It is best to check on them before the cooking time is completed.
What is the best temperature to Air Fry at?
It will always depend on what you are cooking and from what state. All of my air fryer recipes don’t use temperatures above 200c/390f because many of the most common fryers in the UK don’t go above this. Mine goes to 230c/450f and I use this temperature a lot but it is no help for me to share recipes which many people can’t use.
What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
Not all air fryers have different settings like this. When they do it usually relates to the fan speed. The default setting to use will always be “air fry” so unless something else is specifically stated in the recipe, always use the air fry option.
There are other air fryers that have an additional heating element which cooks from underneath rather than just the top. Just as with the other settings, unless you are using a recipe which states to use a second heating element, stick with just using the top down air fry option.
Of course if and when you become more confident with air frying, using recipes and the settings of your air fryer, you can start adapting them to suit.
Can Food Be Cooked From Frozen In An Air Fryer?
Absolutely! To cook from frozen you usually will need to reduce the cooking temperature and increase the time to make sure your food is cooked right through to the middle.
It is best to check my individual recipes for cooking from frozen advice as some items are a little different. And there are occasionally exceptions to the rule.
Can I Reheat Food In An Air Fryer?
Yes. As a general rule I reheat food for roughly 1/3 of the original cooking time at the same temperature. Or at 10 degrees lower for half the time for larger items.
Are Air Fryer Liners a Good Idea?
Unless otherwise stated, I do not use liners when air frying. Basket and rotary type air fryers are designed to be used without liners. Mini oven types will generally require some kind of tray like with a regular large oven although most come with crisper racks to use.
There are many air fryer liners available including quite thick silicone ones. These will affect the cooking times and possibly temperatures of your cooking/baking. I also don’t like how cooking juices are prevented from dripping through the basket rack. This can stop food from crisping all the way around.
When I do want to collect the juices, I mostly use some foil, or occasionally a foil tray which can be washed and reused.
If you do prefer to use them, once you have got a feel for how they affect your cooking and baking, you may need to make adjustments to the recipe accordingly.
More Air Fryer Recipes
All my recipes with instructions for how to cook or bake them in the air fryer can be found in my Air Fryer Recipe Index.
Don’t forget to let me know in the comments if you try making this recipe – I want to know what you think and if you made any substitutions, how did it turn out?
Still Have Questions?
Simple! Just contact me and I will do my best to help as quickly as I am able. Head over to my Contact Me page, any of my social media channels or post a comment at the bottom of this page and I’ll see what I can do.
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The Recipe
Air Fryer Butterflied Lamb Leg Joint Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 600 g Boneless Lamb Leg Joint
- 2 tsp Vegetable Oil
- ½ tsp Sea Salt Flakes
For The Gravy
- 300 ml Water
- 3 tbsp Cornflour (Cornstarch)
- 3 tbsp Water
- Sea Salt Flakes
Instructions
- If your air fryer requires pre-heating, start this setting now.
- Thoroughly dry a 600g Boneless Lamb Leg Joint.
- Drizzle over 2 tsp Vegetable Oil and ½ tsp Sea Salt Flakes and thoroughly coat the lamb in both.
- Place the lamb leg joint into the air fryer basket.
- Air fry for 15 minutes at 200c/390f.
- Use tongs to turn the lamb over and air fry for a further 10 minutes at 200c/390f.
- Check the lamb is cooked to your liking. If you prefer it more cooked, put it back in for 2 minutes at a time.
- Take the lamb out the air fryer and wrap well in foil. Allow to rest for around 10 minutes while you make the gravy.
- Remove the crisper plate from the basket and tip the juices and fat into a small saucepan. Use a silicone spatula to make sure you get all the goodness. Scrape any tasty bits off the crisper plate too.
To Make The Lamb Gravy
- Start heating the cooking drippings over a high heat.
- Add 300ml Water to the pan. Freshly boiled from the kettle will speed up the process.
- Mix 3 tbsp Cornflour with roughly 3 tbsp Water until all the cornflour has dissolved.
- Once the juices and water have come to the boil, add the cornflour slurry with one hand while whisking with the other.
- Continue to boil until the gravy is thickened. If after a few minutes, it is not thick enough for your liking, make up and add more cornflour slurry – add a little at a time. If it is thicker than you would like, add a little water at a time.
- Taste the gravy and add Sea Salt Flakes a little at a time until the gravy is flavoursome. Don't be shy, salt is your friend with gravy.
- Serve with the sliced lamb.
Notes
- Oil – Choose your oil to match your flavouring. For example use garlic, salt and rosemary with olive oil or for a more neutral flavour, sea salt and black pepper with vegetable oil.
- Seasoning – Choose any seasoning mix, spices or dried/fresh herbs. Make sure that salt is included in the mix. You can also add a little citrus juice.
- I used vegetable oil with a 2:1 mix of garlic salt and paprika.
- The air fryer version of this recipe is tested in a Cosori Lite (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal.
- Not all models advise preheating is required. Please follow the recommended instructions for your model. Mine has a specific preheat setting which is 4 minutes at 205c.
- For this recipe, I can easily fit a 600g butterflied leg in the basket at a time. This gives plenty of room to allow air to circulate.
- As all air fryer models are a little different, you may find that you can fit more or less in at a time. Some models include stacking shelves which will increase capacity.
- Required cooking times and temperatures can also vary between models and brands. If you know that your air fryer runs a little hotter than most recipes suggest, use a lower temperature. And vice versa. Equally if you find that food cooks more quickly in your machine than instructions usually state, reduce the cooking time (or check it earlier) and vice versa.
Dave says
Well this is a game changer! So easy to make and to carve as well as delicious, I may never cook lamb any other way.
Karen says
Followed your instructions to the letter and the lamb joint was cooked to perfection. Really easy recipe and I loved the gravy.