Cider and Honey Roast Leg of Lamb

Serves6
Cooking Methodroasting
CostModerate
Total Timeunder 2 hours
OccasionCasual Dinner Party, Family Get-together, Formal Dinner Party
Recipe Coursemain course
Dietary Considerationegg-free, gluten-free, lactose-free, peanut free, soy free, tree nut free
Mealdinner
Moodfestive
Taste and Texturefruity, garlicky, juicy, meaty, savory, tart
Ingredients
- 1 leg of lamb, about 4½ pounds, fat trimmed
- Olive oil for drizzling
- 3-4 garlic cloves, skin on, halved
- Few sprigs of fresh thyme
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 4 tart cooking apples
- 2 cups hard cider
- Clear honey for drizzling
- 1¼ cups lamb stock or chicken stock
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 425°F. Calculate the cooking time for the lamb: 12 minutes per pound for medium rare, 15 minutes per pound for medium. Score the fat around the leg of lamb in a crisscross pattern. Drizzle a little olive oil over the fat, then rub all over with salt and pepper. Place in a deep roasting pan and scatter the garlic and thyme over and around the leg. Sprinkle with the lemon juice and drizzle on more olive oil. Sprinkle with a little more seasoning. Roast in the hot oven for 20 minutes.
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Quarter and core the apples. Remove the lamb from the oven and reduce the heat to 350°F. Scatter the apples around the lamb, and baste the lamb with the cider. Turn the leg over and drizzle on 2 tablespoons of honey. Roast for 30 minutes.
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Turn the lamb around. Baste with the pan juices, then drizzle another tablespoon of honey over the meat. Continue to roast for the calculated time. To check for doneness, insert a skewer into the thickest part of the lamb, then press the meat lightly: the redder the juices, the rarer the meat. Lift the lamb onto a carving board and cover with a piece of foil. Let rest in a warm place while you prepare the gravy.
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At this point, the apples and garlic in the roasting pan should be very soft. Press with a fork, then tip the entire contents of the pan into a fine sieve set over a saucepan. Push down with the back of a ladle to extract all the juices and flavor from the apples and garlic. Discard the pulp. Place the saucepan over medium heat and add the stock. Bring to a boil and let bubble vigorously until the sauce has thickened to the desired gravy consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then pour into a warm gravy boat. Carve the lamb into thin slices and serve with the apple and cider gravy.
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