Honey And Cider Roast Leg Of Lamb Recipe
Are you a fan of quintessentially masculine cuisine? We are, which is why we’re exploring the delectable offerings in GQ Eats, the magazine’s latest cookbook. Especially the chapter titled Michelin-Starred Meals At Home. With its robust cuts of meat, exceptional sides, and cocktails crafted by the pitcher, our takeout habits are becoming a thing of the past. Besides, you can’t order a succulent roasted leg of lamb for delivery.
Among the pantheon of British Michelin-starred chefs, the irreverent, extraordinarily skilled, and utterly memorable Gordon Ramsay stands out. This roast leg of lamb is one of his most beloved recipes, and once you prepare it, you’ll understand the allure.
Honey And Cider Roast Leg Of Lamb Recipe
PREP TIME: 30 minutes
COOK TIME: 1.75 hours
SERVINGS: 0 servings
Ingredients
1 leg of lamb (about 4 pounds)
olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3-4 garlic cloves
a few sprigs of thyme
juice from 1/2 lemon
4 apples (Russets or Braeburns)
2 1/4 cups medium cider
runny honey
1 cup lamb or chicken stock
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Weigh the lamb and calculate the final cooking time at 12 minutes per pound for medium-rare, 15 minutes for medium.
- Drizzle the lamb with olive oil, then rub it all over with salt and pepper.
- Place the joint in a deep roasting pan and scatter the garlic and thyme over and around it. Pour over the lemon juice and drizzle again with olive oil. Sprinkle with a bit more seasoning, then roast for 20 minutes.
- Remove the lamb from the oven and reduce the heat to 350°F. Scatter the apples around the pan and baste the lamb with cider. Turn the meat over and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of honey.
- Return the lamb to the oven for 30 minutes. Turn it around, baste with the pan juices, then drizzle over another tablespoon of honey. Continue to roast for the calculated time. To check if it is done, insert a skewer into the thickest part of the lamb, then press lightly – the redder the juices are, the rarer the meat is.
- Lift the lamb to a carving board and cover with foil. Rest it in a warm place while you prepare the gravy.
- At this point, the apples and garlic in the roasting pan should be very soft. Press them with a fork, then tip the entire contents of the pan into a fine sieve over a saucepan. Push down with the back of a ladle to extract all the juices and flavors from the apples and garlic. Discard the pulp. Place the saucepan over medium heat and add the stock. Bring to the boil and let it bubble vigorously until the sauce has thickened to the desired gravy consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then pour the gravy into a warm serving jug.
- Carve the lamb into thin slices and serve drizzled with the apple and cider gravy. Crisp roast potatoes and steamed tenderstem broccoli make the perfect accompaniments to this dish.