Minted Leg of Lamb

So, way back I bought a bone-in leg of lamb because it was only $5 per pound.  That never happens.  I did a terrible hack job to get four roughly one-pound sections, plus the bone on the last pound.  Because I wanted the bone for some roasted-bone broth, I decided to do something with that piece.

I need to remember never to buy a bone-in leg of lamb again.  Unlike fatty cuts of meat or chicken, the meat really doesn't want to come off the bone.  It's worth it to pay the extra for boneless, or even semi-boneless.  There is a reason I'm a baker and not a butcher.  It's a very good thing I wasn't serving this to guests, because I made a total mess of it when carving.

Anyway, back to the flavor profile.  There isn't a ton of mint in the seasoning rub.  A little dried mint goes a long way, and you don't want this to taste like ice cream.  It's just a brightness designed to take away any gamey undertones.  You could probably use this spice mix on duck or venison, to the same effect.

I'm going to scale the rub to a full leg of lamb, 4-5 pounds.  Or, you could make the smaller amount and use this on lamb chops.  Or just make up the rub and store it to use as needed.  It's just a spice blend.

1 leg of lamb
1 Tb kosher salt
1 tsp pepper
*2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
*1/2 tsp ground sumac
*2 tsp dried parsley
*1 tsp dried mint
olive oil

1.  Line a roasting pan with foil for easing cleaning and preheat oven to 325º.  Set lamb, fatty side up, in roasting pan.  Rub all over with olive oil.

2.  In a bowl or mortar, combine seasonings.  Rub mix all over lamb, including the underside.  Cover pan with foil.

3.  Roast until internal temperature reaches 140º for rare/medium rare, about 2 to 2-1/2 hours.  Go to 145º if you prefer medium.  Allow to sit 15 minutes before carving. 

Serves 10-12

Difficulty rating  π