Easter Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Lamb

Name: Easter Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Lamb
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 2 h 40 min
Yield: 10-12 serving(s)
Ingredients: 4 whole garlic heads; kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 boneless leg of lamb, rolled and tied (4 to 5 pounds); 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

Submitted by Lizzymommy

"I always order lamb when I see it on the menu in a fine restaurant since it's one of my favorite meals. I rarely make it at home, however, so this year when I was called upon to host Easter dinner, I called upon this boneless roast that is enveloped in roasted garlic and herbs. The trick is to make sure you use a meat thermometer so you do not overcook it - lamb is tender when medium rare. The other trick, like all roasts, is to make sure you allow it to rest for 15 minutes out of the oven before you even THINK of cutting into it. If you cut even a tiny bit off the edge all the juices will run out of your roast and it will be dry. Serve this with Recipe #94591, Roasted Asparagus with Hollandaise, and Recipe #37479 for an elegant meal! (Prep time includes resting)"

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Ready In:: 2hrs 40mins
Ingredients:: 5
Serves:: 10-12

ingredients

4 whole garlic heads
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 boneless leg of lamb, rolled and tied (4 to 5 pounds)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Cut the top third off of each head of garlic; season with salt and pepper and drizzle with a teaspoon of the olive oil. Replace tops and wrap in foil. Roast for 40 to 50 minutes, until soft and golden. Allow to cool then squeeze out the soft garlic into a small bowl. Mixture may be prepared to this point in advance.
Blend roasted garlic paste with ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, remaining olive oil and the rosemary. Tuck about half of the garlic herb blend by spoonfuls inside the roast where it is rolled, getting as much of it towards the center as possible without untying it - spread remaining over outside of roast and place in a heavy roasting pan. (If you have rosemary sprigs remaining, place them in the bottom of the pan as a bed for the roast.).
Roast at 425°F for 20 minutes; reduce the heat to 300°F and roast an additional 45 minutes. At this point start checking the meat thermometer. Remove from the oven when roast reaches 130°F for medium rare. Lamb should not be cooked until well done or it will be too dry. Let stand for 20 minutes before carving so the juices are reabsorbed into the meat.
Cut away the kitchen string and slice with a sharp carving knife, 1/2 inch thick slices, across the grain of the meat. Add one cup of chicken stock to roasting pan, scrape up browned bits and skim off fat for a delicious au jus gravy.