This Simple Roast Half Leg of Lamb is an easy, traditional centrepiece that’s perfect for a smaller feast. It needs minimal prep, a fairly short cook time, and gives you tender meat with maximum flavour and a crisp, golden crust. Plus, I’ve included instructions for a fuss-free gravy using all the delicious meat juices.
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I am very clearly a big fan of air frying lamb and have even shared my recipe for roasting a half leg in an air fryer before now. But as we know, not everyone has an air fryer and of those of us that do, not all air fryers are the right shape and size to accommodate larger cuts of meat.
So I’m sharing this oven recipe for a 1.4kg/3lb half leg of lamb. This is certainly on the larger side for a half leg but all that changes is the cooking time when looking to cool a smaller piece.
A leg of lamb, be it whole or a half, isn’t always the cheapest meat option out there. But a half leg is often more manageable budget wise. If you keep an eye out around Easter and Christmas, most UK supermarkets offer deals. Most recently they’ve been half price or better. That’s when I like to stock up and freeze a few to have throughout the year.
The recipe itself is very simple and if for a fast roast not a long slow cook. You can of course take this basic recipe and dress it up however you fancy. I’ve also included instructions to make a simple gravy from the juices that come out the lamb whilst roasting.
How to Serve Roast Lamb
Roast lamb is a Sunday dinner classic and a half leg is a good option for a smaller crowd. Mix and match your potato, veg and extra sides options from my roast dinner recipe collection. I’ve served mine with smashed roast potatoes, minted peas, sweet potato mash, maple glazed carrots and roasted swede. Of course there is the gravy made from the roasting juices and can’t forget mint sauce on the side.
Don’t feel like you have to keep roast lamb only for roast dinners. I love to add some middle eastern seasonings like za’atar and serve with delicious Turkish rice, a coriander packed tahini yogurt sauce and some grilled vegetables and salad. Or slice and stuff into fluffy pita breads to make homemade gyros.
Ingredients
Lamb
This recipe is written for a large half leg of lamb. Mine weighed in at 1.4kg. This is pretty big as half legs go, so if you’re using a smaller one, you’ll want to reduce the cooking time accordingly. A smaller 800g/2lb leg will take closer to 40 minutes. But the cooking method remains exactly the same.
Half legs have become much more common in recent years here in the UK. They’re sold as half legs with the bone in. But you can also buy boneless leg steak and butterflied leg joints. I’ve got dedicated recipes for many various cuts of lamb so make sure to have a look at my collection.
Oil
I’ve simply used a neutral vegetable oil here for simplicity. You can switch this out for a light olive oil or even a garlic-infused oil for extra flavour. If you prefer to use softened butter, this is also a good option. It’ll also make for heck of a gravy.
Seasonings
To keep things straightforward, this version just uses sea salt flakes which is more than enough to enhance the lamb flavour. But you can easily add other seasonings to this basic recipe.
Classic combinations include garlic and rosemary, lemon zest with thyme, or a blend of paprika, cumin and black pepper for something a bit more robust. Just make sure you include salt somewhere in the mix as it’s the key to good seasoning.
Be Flexible
This is a deliberately simple roast lamb recipe which gives lots of scope to add other flavours.
Try rubbing the lamb with a paste of garlic, rosemary and olive oil before roasting. Or go for a slightly spicier twist using a mix of cumin, coriander and a dash of chilli flakes. A touch of mustard powder or even a spoonful of harissa in your oil mix can also give the lamb a subtle kick.
If you’d rather cook a boneless leg, you can remove the bone yourself or buy it already butterflied. This will reduce the cooking time quite a bit, so I’d recommend checking out my butterflied lamb leg recipe for full instructions.
You can also cook the lamb over a bed of sliced onions or root veg in the roasting tin to add extra flavour to both the meat and the resulting gravy.
Make Allergy Friendly Roasted Lamb
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.
Equipment Notes for Oven Roasted Lamb Leg
When roasting lamb, I find it best to use a roasting tin that’s only just a little bigger than the lamb leg itself. This helps to keep the juices contained and makes it much easier to scrape everything up when it’s time to make the gravy. If the tin is too big, the juices tend to spread out and catch and burn which makes for bad gravy.
If your tin isn’t particularly non-stick, I’d recommend lining it with foil or baking parchment to make cleanup easier and avoid anything sticking or burning on. Just make sure it’s tucked in well so it doesn’t flap about while it cooks.
You’ll also need a small sharp knife to make slits in the lamb – this helps the seasoning and oil to work their way into the meat and adds flavour right through.
Lastly, to make the gravy, you’ll need a small saucepan and something to stir with. I like to use a silicone whisk. They’re gentle on non-stick pans and helps blend the cornflour in without leaving any lumps.
A comprehensive list of the equipment used to make this recipe is included in the main recipe card below. Click on any item to see an example. There are no hard and fast rules so many items can be sensibly substituted to achieve the same results.
Get Ahead
There aren’t many steps in this recipe that can be completed in advance. You can prepare the lamb earlier in the day by drying, cutting and seasoning it before leaving it covered in the fridge until you’re ready to roast. In fact, letting it come up to room temperature for about an hour before it goes in the oven will help it cook more evenly.
Roast lamb also benefits from a decent rest once it’s cooked. I usually leave it for a minimum of 15 minutes, but you can push that up to 30 or even 40 minutes if needed. Just cover it with foil and maybe a tea towel over the top to keep the heat in. This is the time to sort out your roast potatoes, finish the veg and get the gravy going.
Leftover Roast Lamb
Leftover lamb can be kept in the fridge for a few days or frozen for longer term storage. I find it’s easiest to slice the lamb once it’s chilled, then freeze it in portions so it’s ready to grab as needed. This helps it freeze more evenly and makes reheating a lot simpler too.
To reheat, I usually go for the microwave with a little drop of water added. This effectively steams the lamb gently and keeps it nice and moist. You can do the same in the oven or air fryer by loosely wrapping the slices in foil, again with a splash of water, and heating until it’s piping hot all the way through.
Of course, you can also just eat the lamb cold if you prefer. Allow it to chill properly then slice as thin as you can. It’s lovely in sandwiches, wraps or even just picked at with a bit of mustard or chutney on the side ploughman’s style.
If you fancy turning it into a whole new meal, leftover roast lamb is good added to dishes like shepherd’s pie, a classic lamb and potato hash, or even stirred into a tomato-based pasta sauce. It’s also brilliant in a leftover roast dinner pie, on a leftover roast dinner pizza or added to a curry with a few spices and some stock.
Roast Half Leg of Lamb Tips
Using a roasting tin that’s only just big enough for the lamb helps to keep the juices from spreading too far, prevents sticking, and makes it much easier to make a tasty gravy.
Taking the lamb out of the fridge about an hour before cooking allows it to come up to room temperature, which helps it roast more evenly and avoids the meat tightening up too quickly in the oven.
Make sure to rest the lamb after roasting – at least 15 minutes, but longer if you need time to get everything else sorted. It makes a big difference to the juiciness and ease of slicing.
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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More Roast Dinner Meat Recipes
The Recipe
Simple Roast Half Leg of Lamb Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.4 kg Half Leg of Lamb
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 2 tsp Sea Salt Flakes
For The Gravy
- 4 tbsp Cornflour (Cornstarch)
- 4 tbsp Cold Water
- 500 ml Boiling Water
- Sea Salt Flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190c / 375f.
- Remove all packaging and thoroughly dry a 1.4kg Half Lamb Leg.
- Use a small sharp knife to cut shallow slits in the thin skin/thin fat layer/flesh of the lamb on both sides. This will allows the heat and seasoning to permeate into the lamb better.
- Drizzle over roughly 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil and massage into all sides of the lamb including the end. Sprinkle over around 2 tsp Sea Salt Flakes, again, not forgetting the end.
- Move the lamb into a roasting tray. I try to use something that the lamb only just fits in for ease of handling and to contain the roasting juices as much as possible.
- Roast for 60 minutes.
- Remove the lamb from the tin and wrap in foil. Set aside and cover with a couple of tea towels and allow to sit and rest for at least 15 minutes.
Make the Gravy
- Put a kettle of water on to boil.
- Scrape all the fats and juices from the roasting tin into a small saucepan.
- Add 500ml of Boiling Water to the pan. If there are still any tasty looking morsels in the roasting tin, you can add the water to the tin first, give it a little scrape then add the water to the pan.
- Put the pan on a high heat.
- Meanwhile mix 4 tbsp Cornflour with 4 tbsp Cold Water in a small bowl.
- Once the water and juices have come to a boil, turn the heat down a little and quickly stir in the cornflour slurry.
- Keep mixing until the gravy has thickened.
- Taste and add sea salt flakes as needed.
- Pour the gravy into a jug and serve with the sliced lamb.
Jen says
I’m always nervous about cooking joints of meat, but I followed your easy instructions and it turned out perfect. Even better I made the gravy once it was cooked.