Mediterranean Lamb Leg Roast
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A slow-roasted boneless lamb leg infused with a robust mix of North African spices and Mediterranean aromatics. Cooked low and slow in red wine and vegetable broth, layered with a spicy-sweet tomato-harissa paste enhanced by fenugreek and cumin seeds. This recipe skips the usual coriander seeds for a smoky, earthy touch. Prepping the onion and garlic slowly softens their bite, developing deep aromas before the lamb returns to bathe in the broth and wine bath. Resting the meat is a must to let juices redistribute and the temperature gently climb; slicing thin keeps the rose-colored center intact. Served best with mint-apple couscous or a bright herb salad to cut through richness.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
Total:
Servings:
6 to 8 servings
#Mediterranean
#slow cooking
#lamb recipes
#spices
#oven roasting
#fenugreek
#harissa
#boneless leg of lamb
The kind of lamb leg I go for needs patience. Slow, gentle heat. Not rushed — if you push temp or cut corners, dry, stringy meat. Tried it the fast way once and that was enough. The secret? Build flavor in stages. Brown the outside for a crunchy crust that locks in juices. Then soften your aromatics—onions and garlic—until tender, almost caramelized, not raw or burnt. Instead of coriander and mustard seeds, I swapped cumin and fenugreek — earthier, with a touch of bitterness that balances the sweetness of tomato and honey. Harissa gives that fiery punch, but control how much; too much and it smothers everything else, too little and you lose depth. Don’t skip resting time; that’s when magic happens — juices settle, temp rises from 56 to 63 °C, perfect pink in center. Serve with a refreshing couscous to cut richness. Simple, bold, and a touch rustic — just how I like it.
Ingredients
- 1 gigot d'agneau désossé et dégraissé de 2 kg ; 4 lb
- 50 ml huile d’olive extra vierge ; 3 c. à soupe
- 2 oignons moyens, finement hachés
- 3 gousses d’ail, émincées
- 25 ml pâte de tomates — une généreuse c. à soupe
- 20 ml miel liquide ou sirop d’agave pour un twist végétal
- 5 ml harissa ; 1 c. à thé
- 2,5 ml graines fenugrec écrasées — remplace coriandre
- 2,5 ml graines cumin entières légèrement concassées — à la place moutarde
- 2,5 ml curcuma moulu
- 150 ml bouillon de légumes maison ou de poulet
- 150 ml vin rouge sec, de bonne qualité
- Sel de mer, poivre noir fraîchement moulu
About the ingredients
Look for a boneless, trimmed gigot d’agneau about 2 kg; this size cooks evenly and fits nicely in most pans. I reduced oil slightly from the original; over-oiling masks delicate spice layers. Honey can swap for agave or even date syrup if you want a vegan-friendly glaze. Fenugreek seeds replace coriander; they have a pungent, maple-like edge that works surprisingly well with harissa. Cumin seeds are a better fit here than mustard, adding smoky depth while not overpowering. Using vegetable stock instead of chicken broth tweaks it vegan-friendly if you want to omit meat broth. Red wine should be dry and full-bodied; a cheap table wine won’t cut. Salt and pepper in stages build layers of seasoning; skip initial salting, and it’s bland through. Keep the garlic doses balanced — crushed garlic can go bitter if overcooked, finely minced mellows better.
Method
- Set oven rack mid-level. Heat to 160 °C / 320 °F. Lower than usual to slow-cook, keep lamb tender.
- Heat half the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet. Brown lamb evenly until dark crust forms — 5 to 7 minutes. Skin should snap when poked; deep color means flavor locked in. Salt and pepper now, not later.
- Remove lamb. In leftover oil, soften onions and garlic gently over medium heat, stirring. Wait for onions turning translucent and silk-like, about 7–8 minutes. Watch for the smell — that sweet, pungent base forming; key step skipped and you get harsh raw notes.
- Stir in tomato paste, honey, harissa, fenugreek, cumin, and turmeric. Mix well to release spices. Salt and pepper again. Let cool slightly. The mixture will thicken and deepen in aroma.
- Return lamb to pan. Spoon onion-spice mixture over the roast, coat thoroughly. Pour broth and wine carefully around, not on top — keep paste intact.
- Cover pan tightly with foil—trap steam but don’t smother. Roast 1 h 40 min; check broth levels occasionally—add splash if evaporates too fast.
- Remove foil, raise heat to 180 °C / 355 °F, roast uncovered 25 minutes more or until internal temperature hits 56 °C / 133 °F for medium-rare. Probe with a thermometer or press with finger; meat should yield but still have resistance.
- Rest uncovered, tent loosely with foil, 20 minutes. Temperature will rise few degrees; juices redistribute, don’t skip this or meat ends dry.
- Cut strings, slice thin against grain; juicy, tender, pink with crisp edges. Serve immediately with couscous tossed with chopped mint, diced green apple for freshness, maybe a drizzle of lemon juice.
- If lacking a thermometer, look for juices beginning to emerge clear, not blood-red—a good indicator lamb’s perfect pink.
Cooking tips
Start oven preheating before anything to save time. Medium heat for browning; too hot and the oil smokes, lamb burns. Browning seals juices and adds caramel notes; don’t crowd pan or steam meat — pieces need contact with hot surface. Once onions and garlic are soft and glossy, add tomato paste and spices off-heat or low heat to avoid burning tomato. The mixture should thicken, smell earthy and sweet. Adding broth and wine after coats the meat and keeps it moist but doesn’t dilute flavors — pour around edges, not on top, to avoid washing off paste. Covering with foil traps steam, keeping lamb moist without drying out. Lengthen initial cooking by 10 minutes or so if your lamb is thicker or less trimmed. Remove foil towards the end to develop crust. Use an instant-read thermometer; finger presses are less precise but also work if you know your meat’s feel. Rest uncovered for a bit then loosely tent to prevent losing heat too fast, essential for juicy slices. If broth reduces too fast, add water or more broth, the pan sauce will be gravy base. Leftover sauce thickens wonderfully with a splash of cream or coconut milk for dairy-free twist.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Brown lamb gently over medium heat; listen for that faint snap when poked; dark crust means juices sealed. Avoid too hot or oil smoking. Crowding pan steams meat, not crusting it. Timing critical—5 to 7 minutes max. Salt early here locks flavor inside; skip and it’s bland core later.
- 💡 Onions and garlic softening slow; no rush. Medium heat, gently stirring; watch smell change from sharp to sweet, pungent base. Translucent, silk-like texture signals ready. If skipped, raw garlic sharpness ruins layers. Take 7 to 8 minutes. Add tomato paste off heat or very low—prevents bitterness from burning tomato sugars.
- 💡 Mix spices well into tomato paste blend before returning lamb. Fenugreek seeds replace usual coriander seeds—pungent, earthy, almost maple-like bitterness balancing honey’s sweetness. Use cumin whole, lightly crushed; smokier than mustard seeds, better fit here. Don’t overdo harissa; too much smothers, too little loses warmth.
- 💡 Pour broth and wine cautiously around meat edges, not on paste layer. Keeps paste intact on roast surface. Cover tightly with foil to trap steam; lamb cooks moist but crust won’t vanish. If broth evaporates too fast, add water or more broth. Lengthen covered cooking if lamb thicker. Remove foil for last 25 minutes to deepen crust and hit medium-rare temp 56 °C.
- 💡 Rest meat uncovered, tent loosely with foil, 20 minutes minimum. Crucial step—juices redistribute, temperature rises from 56 to around 63 °C. Skip resting; meat dries out. Slice thin, against grain. Juicy, tender with pink center and crisp edges. Serve with mint-apple couscous or herb salad to cut richness; lemon juice drizzle recommended.
Common questions
How to check doneness without thermometer?
Press lamb gently with finger, feel resistance; tender but springy not squishy. Or watch juice color when slicing—clear, not pink/red. Cuts safe margin but thermometer best. Also look for crust color, internal heat fades pink edges if overcooked.
Can I substitute fenugreek seeds?
Fenugreek pungent, maple-like; no direct equals. If unavailable, try a mix cumin plus ground mustard but lose some bitterness edge. Coriander gives citrus notes, so skip if wanting earthy bitter layer here. Fresh fenugreek leaves different, do not swap.
What if broth evaporates too fast?
Add splash water or extra broth, keep pan moist. Prevents drying out. Watch levels closely first hour. Slow heat key; too hot burns onion-spice coating. Foil cover traps steam moisture, extend covered time if needed. Too much wine dilutes paste; pour slowly.
How to store leftovers?
Wrap tightly, fridge up to 3 days. Reheat gently in oven covered to keep moist. Freeze slices in vacuum bags or airtight containers max 2–3 months. Sauce thickens over time, add splash broth or water when reheating. Avoid microwave unless careful, dries edges fast.
