Lamb Roast

By: Daniel Lucas

Dish: Meat / Fish
Season: Spring
Source: Family Recipe
Servings: 4-6
Need help? Read the guide

Ingredients

  • ​1/4 lb lamb shoulder or leg, single cut
  • 1 bunch rosemary
  • garlic, crushed
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

When most people think of Easter, they think of decorative eggs, the Easter bunny, or chocolate. But for me, nothing says Easter more than a leg of lamb. Despite being raised Catholic, tradition actually stems from Jewish roots:

Accustomed to eating roast lamb on Passover, Jews who converted to Christianity continued the tradition at Easter. Additionally, Christians refer to Jesus as the “Lamb of God,” so it makes sense that the food shows up at the Easter table. On a less symbolic note, lamb would have been one of the first fresh meats available after a long winter with no livestock to slaughter. Source

Though I’m no longer religious, my taste buds are still very accustomed to this tradition.

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350 ˚F. Bring lamb to room temperature
  2. Melt butter and olive oil and brown lamb on all sides in a 12” cast iron skillet. Set aside.
  3. Add crushed garlic and rosemary into the skillet with additional butter
  4. Once garlic starts to become translucent return lamb to the skillet, laying some of the garlic and rosemary atop the lamb.
  5. Put skillet in the oven, basting once every 30 mins.
  6. Cooking for ~1h-1.5hrs. Or until the lamb is ~145 F. Lamb should be served medium rare. Note: Using a meat thermometer like this one will help tremendously.
  7. Use the skillet contents as a gravy.

Lamb Roast

By: Daniel Lucas

When most people think of Easter, they think of decorative eggs, the Easter bunny, or chocolate. But for me, nothing says Easter more than a leg of lamb. Despite being raised Catholic, tradition actually stems from Jewish roots:

Accustomed to eating roast lamb on Passover, Jews who converted to Christianity continued the tradition at Easter. Additionally, Christians refer to Jesus as the “Lamb of God,” so it makes sense that the food shows up at the Easter table. On a less symbolic note, lamb would have been one of the first fresh meats available after a long winter with no livestock to slaughter. Source

Though I’m no longer religious, my taste buds are still very accustomed to this tradition.

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350 ˚F. Bring lamb to room temperature
  2. Melt butter and olive oil and brown lamb on all sides in a 12” cast iron skillet. Set aside.
  3. Add crushed garlic and rosemary into the skillet with additional butter
  4. Once garlic starts to become translucent return lamb to the skillet, laying some of the garlic and rosemary atop the lamb.
  5. Put skillet in the oven, basting once every 30 mins.
  6. Cooking for ~1h-1.5hrs. Or until the lamb is ~145 F. Lamb should be served medium rare. Note: Using a meat thermometer like this one will help tremendously.
  7. Use the skillet contents as a gravy.

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