I need recipe for leg of Lamb. Gonna feed about 20 friends but I have never fixed this dish. Please help!?

Question

My father and his 6 boys have an annual Deer hunt. Clements Hunting Lodge, located in Raywick, Kentucky. Doug and I do the cooking for the 20 or so hunters. We need "Leg of Lamb" recipe.

Answer 1

Here are 3 very different recipes. I hope that one of these will work!

Roast Leg of Lamb with Dark Beer, Honey and Thyme (serves 6-8)
7 to 8 pound leg of lamb, thighbone removed, and shin bone in (have your butcher do this)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups stout beer or porter (recommended: Guinness)
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon juniper berries, crushed
2 bay leaves
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Open the leg of lamb and season the inside with half the garlic, half the thyme leaves, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Tie the lamb closed with string. Place it in a roasting pan, season with salt and pepper, and brush it with olive oil. In a bowl mix the beer, honey, remaining garlic and thyme, juniper berries, and bay leaves. Pour this over the lamb and put the roasting pan into oven. Immediately turn the oven down to 325 degrees F. Baste every 10 minutes. Cook 12 to 13 minutes per pound for medium rare or until internal temperature reaches 130 to 135 degrees F. Remove the roast from the oven, cover it loosely with foil and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes before carving. Serve with pan drippings.

Roasted Leg of Lamb--for Gyros (serves 10)
1 head garlic, cloves peeled
Kosher salt
2 bunches fresh oregano, leaves finely chopped
1 lemon, juiced
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for searing
Freshly ground black pepper
1 butterflied leg of lamb, about 4 pounds
10 large Pita bread
1 head butter lettuce
5 vine-ripe tomatoes, chopped
Tzatziki, recipe follows

Finely chop up 1/2 of the garlic on a cutting board and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Mash the garlic and salt together with the flat-side of a knife into a paste. Add the oregano and continue to mash until incorporated. Put the garlic-oregano paste in a small bowl, add the lemon juice and 1 cup of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Slice the remaining garlic into thin slivers.
Put the lamb on a large platter, and trim any excess fat. Cut the lamb in 1/2 lengthwise so you have 2 large pieces. Make slits all over the meat with a sharp knife, and push the garlic slivers inside. Rub 1/2 of the garlic-oregano paste all over the lamb and season the meat with salt and pepper. Roll up each piece of lamb lengthwise and tie with butcher’s twine to hold the roasts together. Put the lamb on a large platter and slather with the remaining garlic-oregano paste. Marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Wipe off the excess paste from the lamb so it won’t burn in the oven. Place a large roasting pan over 2 burners on medium-high flame and coat with a fair amount of olive oil. Put the lamb roasts in the roasting pan and sear to form a nice brown crust on all sides. Transfer the pan (and lamb) to the oven and roast for 1 to 1 1/2 hours; it should be pink in the center and the internal temperature reads 130 degrees F. Allow the lamb to stand 10 minutes to let the juices settle before and slicing.
Cut off the butcher’s twine and thinly slice the lamb. Place the meat in the center of the pita breads. Top with lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and tzatziki.

Tzatziki (Yogurt And Cucumber Sauce):
3 cups plain yogurt
1 lemon, juiced
2 medium cucumbers, peeled, halved, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and combine with a fork. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to marry.
Yield: 4 cups

Grilled Leg of Lamb (serves 8)
1 head garlic, cloves removed and peeled
2 fresh rosemary sprigs, needles stripped from stem, plus 8 sprigs
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
5 to 7 pound leg of lamb, boned butterflied and surface fat removed
Salt and pepper
8 red-skinned pears
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
8 fresh rosemary sprigs
Black Pepper Polenta, recipe follows
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a blender, combine the garlic, rosemary, and 3/4 cup of oil; season with salt and pepper. Puree until everything comes together to form a paste; set aside for a few minutes to let the flavors marry.
Lay the lamb out flat, open like a book. Score the surface lightly with a paring knife. Rub the lamb with the garlic paste, being sure to get in the incisions. Roll up the lamb and tie with butcher's twine to hold the roast together.
Prepare an outdoor gas or charcoal grill. Season the lamb generously with salt and pepper, and then place it on the hot grill (put it on the top rack if you are using a gas grill). Sear the outside of the meat, turning, until brown all around, but do not char. Close the grill cover and roast for 30 minutes. The lamb is done when the center is still pink and the internal temperature reads 135 degrees F. Allow the lamb to stand 10 minutes to let the juices settle before cutting off the twine and slicing.
To prepare the pears, halve the pears lengthwise and cut out the cores. Place the pears face down on a baking pan. Drizzle with 4 tablespoons of oil, toss the 8 rosemary sprigs on top, and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pears are fork tender.
To serve, spoon some polenta on the base of the plate and lay a few slices of the lamb on top; drizzle with a little oil and season with salt and pepper. Put a pear on each plate, face up, and drizzle them with balsamic vinegar. Garnish with a rosemary sprig.

Soft Polenta with Parmesan and Black Pepper
2 quarts chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups polenta or yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
In a large pot, bring the chicken stock and salt to a boil. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal in a slow steady stream. The liquid will be absorbed and the cornmeal will lock up; don't freak, just whisk through it. Lower the heat and continue to whisk until the polenta is thick and smooth, about 20 minutes. Add the cream and butter; continue to stir until incorporated, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat, fold in the Parmesan and black pepper and serve.

Answer 2

Roast Leg of Lamb with Rosemary

This leg of lamb is marinated overnight with fresh rosemary, garlic, mustard, honey and lemon zest. Be prepared for many requests for seconds!"
Original recipe"

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup and 2 teaspoons honey
1/3 cup and 1 tablespoon prepared Dijon-style mustard
1/3 cup and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon and 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
9-1/2 cloves garlic, minced
15-3/4 pounds whole leg of lamb
1 tablespoon and 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
DIRECTIONS
In a small bowl, combine the honey, mustard, rosemary, ground black pepper, lemon zest and garlic. Mix well and apply to the lamb. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
Place lamb on a rack in a roasting pan and sprinkle with salt to taste.
Bake at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and roast for 55 to 60 more minutes for medium rare. The internal temperature should be at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C) when taken with a meat thermometer. Let the roast rest for about 10 minutes before carving.

Answer 3

Get a big bit of leg of lamb and place on a baking tray, drizzle virgin olive oil over the lamb and sprinkle Lamb seasoning all over the lamb and cook it on 200% for about 2 and a half hours, trust me the lamb seasoning mixed with oil makes the lamb have more flavour and comes out more crispy.

Answer 4

I used to make this by putting the lamb in a baking bag with rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Bake just like you would a turkey. I think 45 minutes per pound orsomething similar. Makes a delicious dish with a wonderful rich gravy to put over rice or mashed potatoes.

Answer 5

Fresh Rosemary to season with some Kosher salt. Ask meatman on size of leg to feed 20. Great served with mint jelly (or gravy if you like). Find a recipe for fresh mint sauce is best. Enjoy!

Answer 6

COOK SLOWLY ON GAS MARK 5 FOR 2/3 HOURS. STAB IT TO DEATH FIRST AND PUT CLOVES OF GARLIC IN THE HOLES., IF YOU WANT A NICE TOUCH RUB IT DOWN WITH LOTS OF CUMINH POWDER FIRST. IT SHOULD STILL BE A LITTE PINK IN THE MIDDLE. KEEP BASTING IT EVERY 15-20 MINUTES AND TURNING IT. SERVE WITH FLAGEOLET BEANS, OR GREEN BEANS AND ROAST POTATOES. ACCOMPANIED BY A FULL BODIED BURGUNDY FRENCH WINE. IF THEY DON'T LIKE THAT TELL THEM TO ORDER A PIZZA.

Answer 7

You'll need three legs of lamb for 20 people, so why not do them in different styles?

Here you go:

Roast Leg of Lamb

INGREDIENTS:
1 leg of lamb, about 5 to 6 pounds
salt and pepper
3 to 4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 can (10 1/2 ounces) condensed beef broth
1 soup can water
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 onion, sliced

PREPARATION:

Rub leg of lamb with salt, pepper, and crushed garlic. Add beef broth, water, vinegar, and onion slices to the roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of the lamb, not touching bone.

Put lamb in preheated 450° oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Reduce heat to 350° and continue roasting until thermometer registers 145° to 150° for medium-rare, or 160° to 170° for well-done. Serve garnished with fresh parsley, if desired. If desired, simmer and reduce drippings, skim fat, and serve with the lamb.
Serves 8.


NORTH AFRICAN MECHOUI - STYLE LEG OF
LAMB

1 (4 lb.) boneless leg of lamb
2 cloves garlic, slivered
Juice of 3 lemons
3 tbsp. peanut oil
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. paprika
2 scallions, minced
1 tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Using a sharp, small knife, make 10 small slits in lamb. Insert garlic into slits. In small mixing bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Rub roast with half the marinade. Let sit 30 minutes. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place roast on rack in shallow roasting pan. Sear in hot oven 10 minutes. Reduce to 350 degrees; cook 10 minutes/per pound for rare; 15 minutes/per pound for medium; 20 minutes/per pound for well done meat. When lamb is cooked to desired doneness, remove roast to a warm platter. Skim off as much fat as possible from pan drippings, the stir in remaining marinade until blended. Place pan on range top burner - over medium high heat. Stir and simmer 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer sauce to gravy boat or bowl. Serve over roast as dripping sauce.


LEG OF LAMB STUFFED WITH PORK
TENDERLOIN

Leg of Lamb
Pork Tenderloin
Garlic cloves
Salt
Pepper
4 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 c. water
1/2 tsp. marjoram
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1 c. white wine
1 c. chicken broth

Have your butcher bone the leg of lamb, pull the pork tenderloin through it, roll and tie it up for roasting. Cut inserts into the meat and push slivers of garlic into the inserts. Rub the whole roast with a clove of garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper on a trivet in a roasting pan, fat side up. Combine the tomato paste, water, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, wine and chicken broth and pour over the roast. Put a meat thermometer in the thickest part, cover the pan and roast in a 325 degree oven for about 45 minutes per pound. Baste the meat with the drippings about every 20 minutes. When done, remove the roast to a platter, add water to the drippings and thicken with cornstarch to make a gravy.

I like to serve this meat with Parsley Boiled Potatoes, Tiny Peas with Onion Butter, Grapefruit and Avocado Salad on Boston Lettuce, Rolls and for dessert New York Ice Cream with Creme De Menthe. I also dress up the platter by putting orange slices around the roast and a ball of mint jelly in the middle.

FRENCH LEG OF LAMB WITH HERBS

5-7 lb. leg of lamb
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. fresh rosemary (2 tsp. dried), crushed
2 tsp. fresh thyme (1 tsp. dried)
2 tsp. sage, rubbed
2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper

Combine the herbs and garlic and pepper; rub over entire surface of lamb leg. Place lamb, fat side up, on rack in open roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer in thickest part, not in fat or on bone. Do not add water and do not cover. Roast in 375 degree oven to desired doneness. Allow 20 to 25 minutes per pound for rare, 25 to 30 minutes per pound for medium and 30 to 35 minutes per pound for well done. Let roast "stand" for 15 to 20 minutes in warm place before carving. It will continue to rise about 5 degrees in temperature to reach 140, rare, 160, medium, 170, well done.

Bon Appetit!!!