Roast Leg of Lamb with Greek-Style Marinade

Bursting with fresh fragrant Mediterranean flavours, any cut of lamb can be elevated from wonderful to sensationally sublime with this easy and delicious Greek-style marinade using fresh garden herbs, Dijon mustard, olive oil, paprika, salt, pepper, and the zest and juice of one large lemon. Poured over and gently massaged into a bone-in or boneless garlic-studded leg of lamb, the marinade should be be allowed to work its culinary magic by covering and refrigerating the lamb for at least six hours, or even overnight if possible. Roasted in the oven at 425°F for 20 minutes then reduced to 350°F for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, the lamb smells heavenly as it slowly roasts in the luscious marinade, producing a wonderfully tender and fabulously flavourful Aegean-inspired Leg of Lamb — it's a 'keeper'.

A Greek-style marinade of rosemary, thyme, oregano, Dijon mustard, olive oil, paprika, salt, pepper and the zest and juice of one lemon

Fresh rosemary from our garden...

...and fresh thyme were used in the marinade

Slivers of garlic are stuffed inside multiple incisions made in the leg of lamb, using a small pointed knife

The marinade is poured over the garlic-studded lamb and then it's covered and refrigerated 

for at least six hours

The leg of lamb is perfectly cooked after 2 hours in the oven

Greek-Style Roast Leg of Lamb
Serves 4-6

4 lb leg of lamb, bone in
6 cloves of garlic, half slivered and half chopped
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
2 tsp dried Greek oregano
1 lemon, zest and juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp sea salt
2 tsp black pepper


Pierce the leg of lamb with a knife and insert the slivers of garlic all around the surface. In a small bowl mix together the remaining garlic, rosemary, thyme, oregano, oil, mustard, paprika, juice and zest of 1 lemon, and season with salt and pepper. Place the lamb in a large baking dish, pour the marinade overtop and turn to coat. Cover the dish with cling film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to even overnight. Remove from the refrigerator an hour before cooking. 

Place the lamb on a rack in a roasting pan, top with the marinade and pour enough water into the pan without touching the lamb. Roast in a preheated 425°F oven for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F and roast until tender enough to pull from the bone, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, adding more water if needed. Remove the lamb to a platter, cover and allow it to rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.