Ideal for holiday meals and cozy weekends
This Braised Leg of Lamb is ideal for both holiday meals and leisurely fall and winter weekends that demand cozy food cooked slowly. Bone-in leg of lamb is seared until brown and crisp on the outside then braised in the oven in a broth embued with fresh garlic, rosemary, thyme, and Dijon until fall-off-the-bone tender. The resulting is lovely served with the jus and a crusty roll, or you can use the juice to make gravy and serve with mashed potatoes — Either way is delicious and perfectly cozy.
What ingredients do I need to make this braised lamb?
- 5 lbs bone-in leg of lamb
- 4 tsp Kosher salt
- 2 tsp cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 32 oz (4 cups) of beef broth or dry red wine, or a combination of both
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 heads of garlic – don’t bother peeling, just slice the heads in half and pop them right in the pan
- 1 large bundle of fresh rosemary
- 1 medium bundle of fresh thyme
Bone-in vs Boneless Leg of Lamb
I prefer to use bone-in leg of lamb for this braised lamb recipe because it offers the best flavor compared to boneless. It also works well for shredding as the meat should be tender enough that you can usually just pull it straight off the bone with a fork once it’s fully cooked. If you are unable to source bone-in leg of lamb, you can certainly use boneless for this recipe but it may take longer to cook. Unlike other bone-in meats like chicken that often take longer to cook, bone-in lamb often takes less time to cook than boneless as the bone acts as an insulator for heat.
What to serve with Braised Leg of Lamb
I love to serve this braised lamb dish with easy sides like potatoes, roasted vegetables, and crusty bread. It’s also fantastic leftover for cold sandwiches the next day. Some of my favorite recipes to serve with this Braised Leg of Lamb recipe are:
- Za’atar Roasted Carrots with Labneh, Honey, and Pistachios
- Roasted Cinnamon Garlic Sweet Potatoes
- Mediterranean Roasted Rainbow Vegetables
- Roasted Greek Potatoes with Whipped Feta
- Roasted Delicata Squash and Beets with Horseradish Cream and Candied Walnuts
- Brussels Sprouts au Gratin with Pancetta and Walnuts
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey Sriracha Sauce
- Smashed Potatoes with Lemon Dill Cream Sauce
What tools do I need to make this recipe?
- A large Dutch oven
- A cutting board
- A chef’s knife
- Liquid measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Kitchen tongs or two large forks
- A plate
- A wooden spatula
- A fine mesh strainer
Are you looking to upgrade to your cooking tools or replenish your pantry? Check out my kitchen tools shop page and pantry staples shop page to find my must-have kitchen tools, pantry items, and other Whip & Wander favorites.
Looking for more dinner inspiration?
Love this Braised Leg of Lamb recipe? Here are some more of my favorite main dish recipes:
- Greek Lamb Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce
- Pressure Cooker Barbacoa Beef
- Grilled Skirt Steak with Avocado Chimichurri Sauce
- Yule Ball Beef Goulash
- Pressure Cooker Beef Bourguignon
- Christmas Eve Lasagne
Braised Leg of Lamb
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Mains
- Method: Oven / Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This Braised Leg of Lamb is ideal for both holiday meals and leisurely fall and winter weekends that demand cozy food cooked slowly. Bone-in leg of lamb is seared until brown and crisp on the outside then braised in the oven in a broth embued with fresh garlic, rosemary, thyme, and Dijon until fall-off-the-bone tender. The resulting is lovely served with the jus and a crusty roll, or you can use the juice to make gravy and serve with mashed potatoes — Either way is delicious and perfectly cozy.
Ingredients
- 5 lbs bone-in leg of lamb
- 4 tsp Kosher salt
- 2 tsp cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 16 oz (about 2 cups) beef broth
- 16 oz (about 2 cups) dry red wine (may substitute for an equal measure of additional beef broth)
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 heads garlic, sliced in half (no need to peel)
- 1 large bundle fresh rosemary (about 25 sprigs)
- 1 medium bundle fresh thyme (about 15 sprigs)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F / 160 C.
- Pat the lamb dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat on the stove until hot. Add the olive oil and once hot and shimmering, add the lamb. Cook undisturbed for about 6-7 minutes until brown on one side, then using kitchen tongs or two large forks, carefully turn the lamb and cook the opposite side for an additional 6-7 minutes until brown on the opposite side. Turn heat off, carefully remove the lamb from the Dutch oven and reserve onto a plate to the side.
- To the hot Dutch oven, add the broth and wine (if using). Using a wooden or silicone spatula, gently scrape the bottom of the pan to dislodge any browned bits. Add the Dijon mustard and mix until well-combined, then add the halved garlic heads and bundles of rosemary and thyme. Carefully add the seared lamb leg back to the pan — it can go directly on top of the garlic and herbs.
- Cover the Dutch oven with its lid and place in the oven to braise for 3-3 1/2 hours, baste the lamb with the braising liquid once every hour or so, until the meat is tender and bone wiggles easily in the joint. The recommended minimum temperature for lamb is 145 degrees F, however with braised meat you will likely end up with temperatures that exceed this.
- Once cooked, carefully the meat from the Dutch oven to rest for 10-15 minutes, then shred with a fork and discard the bone. Strain the garlic and herbs from the remaining basting liquid and serve the jus as-is alongside the meat or use to make gravy if desired.
Notes
Nutritional information on Whip & Wander is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8th of recipe (with jus)
- Calories: 610
- Sodium: 836 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Protein: 56 g
- Cholesterol: 188 mg
Keywords: lamb
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