Kitchen Moxy

The reverse searing technique has become popular among chefs and home cooks because it improves meat texture, especially for a leg of lamb. This method involves cooking the meat slowly at a low temperature first, then finishing with a high-temperature sear. When used on lamb, reverse searing makes the meat more tender, evenly cooked, and flavorful. The final sear creates a tasty crust through the Maillard reaction, adding flavor without overcooking the inside. Since the meat is cooked evenly beforehand, the crust forms without drying out the meat.

Historically, mint has been paired with lamb due to cultural traditions. Instead of traditional mint jelly or fresh mint, try Mint Chimichurri—a vibrant herb sauce made with mint, parsley, jalapeño peppers, garlic, olive oil, honey, and vinegar. This sauce enhances lamb’s flavor with its herbaceous, tangy, and slightly spicy notes. It also pairs well with fresh vegetables, adding a bright, fresh taste that complement rich meats and enhances the overall dining experience. Recipe below

Ingredients

Meat Rub

• 1/4 cup of fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 3 teaspoons of kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons of Dijon mustard (optional)
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Bone-in leg of lamb, between 5 and 7 pounds

Process

1. Set a wire rack inside of a half sheet pan. Set the lamb on the wire rack.
2. In a small bowl, stir to combine the oil, mustard, chopped fresh rosemary leaves, fresh thyme leaves, freshly ground black pepper, and kosher salt.
3. Rub this mixture all over the lamb leg, making sure to get the underside of the meat.
4. Let the lamb sit at room temperature uncovered for one hour.
5. About 15 minutes before the hour is up, preheat the oven to 250℉.
6. Place the lamb in the oven and cook for 90 minutes to 2 hours, adjusting time based on the size of the leg and preferred donenes.
7. Around the 90-minute mark, begin checking the lamb with an instant-read or meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat (make sure the thermometer does not touch the bone).
8. When the internal temperature is about 5 degrees below your target doneness (see notes below), remove the roast from the oven and let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
9. While the lamb rests, increase the oven temperature as high as it will go, ideally 500℉. If your oven has a convection feature, turn that on too.
10. Place the lamb back in the oven for about 5 minutes to brown the exterior. Turn the oven light on and watch through the glass to ensure the outside doesn’t get too brown (and to make sure things don’t get too smoky).
11. The lamb is cooked when the skin starts to peel and crackle like bacon in a pan.
12. Remove the lamb, then slice and serve right away. No need to rest again. Enjoy!

Internal temperatures for bone-in leg of lamb:

• Rare: 125°F. – approximately 10 minutes per pound
• Medium-rare: 130-135°F. – approximately 15 minutes per pound
• Medium: 135-140°F. – approximately 20 minutes per pound
• Well-done: 155-160°F. – approximately 25 minutes per pound

Mint Chimichurri

Ingredients

• 1 cup of mint leaves, tightly packed
• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, tightly packed
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 small jalapeño peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons of honey (optional, balances the heat of the peppers)
• 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/3 – ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Process

1. Finely chop the mint and parsley by hand for a rustic texture and add the rest of the ingredients, mix well.  Or use a food processor for convenience.
2. If using a food processor, add the herbs with garlic, wine vinegar, honey, salt and jalapeno peppers.
3. With the motor running, pour in the olive oil in a steady stream.
4. Scrape the sides and pulse a few more times until the mixture is smooth and easy to spoon, with a loose consistency.
5. Let the sauce sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to blend the flavors.