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

Scale

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)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

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