Entrée: France – Gigot d'Agneau ▶ Gigot d'Agneau (Roast Leg of Lamb)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 1 hr 30 min

Additional 20 min

Total 2 hrs 5 min

Ingredients

1 bone-in leg of lamb (4–5 lb / 1.8–2.3 kg)
6–8 garlic cloves, sliced
3–4 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2–3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup dry red wine or lamb stock (for pan jus) (240 ml)
1 tbsp butter (optional, for jus) (15 g)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Pat the leg dry and trim excess fat if desired.  
2. Make small slits all over the lamb and push a slice of garlic and a small rosemary leaf into each slit.  
3. Rub the entire leg with olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Tuck remaining rosemary sprigs around the meat.  
4. Place on a rack in a roasting pan and roast 15 minutes at 425°F to brown, then reduce heat to 350°F (175°C) and roast until desired doneness (about 15–20 minutes per pound for medium-rare). Use a meat thermometer (55–58°C / 130–136°F for medium-rare).  
5. Remove lamb, tent loosely with foil and rest 15–20 minutes. Meanwhile, deglaze the roasting pan with red wine or stock, reduce and swirl in butter to finish the jus.  
6. Carve the leg into slices and serve with the pan jus.