Easy Easter Roast Leg of Lamb | One Tray Recipe

Easy One‑Tray Roast Leg of Lamb with Potatoes, Rosemary & Garlic

Presenters: John and Lisa Video: “Easy Easter Roast Leg of Lamb | One Tray Recipe”

Ingredients

• Leg of lamb: ~2.2 kg (example used) — serves ~8–10
• Potatoes: equal weight to lamb (for a 2.2 kg leg they use ~2 kg potatoes)
• Onions: ~300 g (about 3 large onions)
• Stock: ~500 ml (dissolve 1 stock cube in boiling water). Chicken, vegetable or lamb stock all suggested.
• Butter: ~200 g, dotted into the potatoes
• Olive oil: ~50 ml (light olive oil) for the lamb
• Fresh rosemary: sprigs and small leaves/flowers
• Garlic: cloves sliced/inserted into lamb slashes and some added to potatoes
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Substitutions and notes

• Any stock type may be used (chicken, vegetable, lamb).
• Potatoes can be sliced by hand or with an electric slicer instead of a mandolin.
• If you don’t have a cake rack/trivet, an oven shelf placed across the tray works as a trivet.

Equipment & prep

• Large greased roasting/baking tray
• Cake tray/cooling rack or an oven shelf used as a trivet so the lamb sits above the potatoes
• Mandolin (or knife/electric slicer) for uniform potato slices — presenters caution about mandolin safety
• Probe thermometer to check lamb doneness
• Bowl to soak potato slices and to mix potatoes/onions/stock

Tip: If not using a mandolin guard, presenters suggest using a fork to hold the potato. Exercise caution — mandolins are sharp.

Method — step‑by‑step

1. Prep the tray and trivet

   • Grease a large roasting tray. Place a cake tray/cooling rack or an oven shelf across the tray to act as a trivet (the lamb will sit on this above the potatoes).

2. Score and season the lamb

   • Score the lamb deeply on an angle to create crisp bits and allow flavors to penetrate.
   • Make small slits and push in slices of garlic and small pieces of rosemary.
   • Drizzle ~50 ml light olive oil over the lamb and season with salt (and pepper if desired).
   • Scatter extra rosemary on the trivet under the lamb for extra aroma.

3. Slice and rinse potatoes

   • Slice potatoes thinly and evenly (mandolin recommended). Briefly place the slices in water to remove excess starch, then drain.
   • Use potatoes equal in weight to the lamb (e.g., ~2 kg for a 2.2 kg leg).

4. Assemble the potato bed

   • Return drained potato slices to a bowl. Add ~300 g sliced onions, chunks of butter (~200 g) distributed randomly, garlic to taste, and a good amount of salt and pepper.
   • Dissolve 1 stock cube in ~500 ml boiling water and pour over the potato/onion mix.
   • Gently “squinch” or loosen the mixture into the greased tray — do not pack down; leave some air and space for crisping and for lamb juices to penetrate.

5. Arrange lamb above the potatoes

   • Place the cake rack/trivet over the potatoes, add extra rosemary on top of the trivet, then lay the prepared leg of lamb across the trivet.

6. Roast

   • Oven temperature: 180°C.
   • Cooking time: roughly 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes for a ~2.2 kg leg.
   • Target internal temperature: probe to 52–56°C (presenters probed at ~1h25 and extended 5 minutes to reach desired temp).

7. Finish and carve

   • Remove from oven when probe reaches desired temperature. Carve and serve — potatoes should be soft, infused with lamb juices and have some crispy edges.

Technique cues, tips & common mistakes to avoid

• Score the lamb deeply on an angle to encourage a crispy exterior and even cooking.
• Insert garlic and small rosemary pieces into scored slits so the aromatics roast into the meat.
• Use a mandolin for even potato slices; if not using the guard, use a fork and be careful.
• Soak sliced potatoes briefly to remove excess starch; drain before assembling.
• Do not pack the potato layer tightly — leaving it loose helps crisp the edges and lets lamb juices penetrate.
• Place lamb on a trivet so all meat juices drip directly into the potatoes.
• Rosemary will brown/blacken during roasting but still contributes flavor — remove browned flowers before serving if desired.
• Use a probe thermometer rather than relying on time alone to check doneness.

Serving & presentation

• Carve the lamb at the table and serve with the potatoes, which will be infused with lamb juices, rosemary and garlic and will have crispy edges.
• The recipe works well as a family‑style one‑tray roast and is attractive on the table as assembled and carved.

Variations / alternatives

• Use an oven shelf instead of a cake cooling rack as the trivet.
• Slice potatoes by hand or with an electric slicer instead of a mandolin.
• Swap stock cube type (chicken, vegetable, lamb) to suit preference.
• Leftover roast lamb can be repurposed (e.g., lamb fritters).

Yield guidance

• A 2–2.2 kg leg of lamb feeds roughly 8–10 people; use an equal weight of potatoes.

Sources

• Video: “Easy Easter Roast Leg of Lamb | One Tray Recipe”
• Presenters: John and Lisa