If you're hosting a family roast dinner, our slow-roasted leg of lamb is a good choice. Once you try it, you'll be hooked on this delicious dish, and it is super easy too!
Simply slow roast leg of lamb at a low oven temperature for 4 to 5 hours until it's tender and falls off the bone. For the last 30-45 minutes, add a delicious chutney marinade to create a sticky glaze.
Remember to use the stock, veggies, and lamb juices for a tasty gravy. It's a perfect Sunday Roast to share with loved ones.
Each bite of our slow-roasted leg of lamb is bursting with flavour, from the glazed outer layer to the succulent inner meat. The perfect recipe for Easter Roast Lamb Dinner.
Make our leg of lamb recipe today, we promise you won't be let down. We also have roast lamb recipes for slow roast lamb shoulder or how to cook a leg of lamb in the slow cooker, or our Greek Leg of Lamb Kleftiko.
Instructions
Here is the printable recipe card for our slow roast leg of lamb. Read on below for more advice.
📖 Step by Step Recipe
Slow Cooked Leg of Lamb
Ingredients
- 1.8-2.2 Kg Leg of Lamb - if using frozen defrost overnight.
- 2 Carrots
- 2 Onions
- 1 Garlic Bulb
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
- 1000 ml Lamb Stock
- 3 sprigs Rosemary
- Salt and Pepper
- 3 tablespoon Chutney - Or something similar
Gravy
- 3 tablespoon Plain Flour - (add more or less for desired consistency)
Instructions
- For best results keep 1.8-2.2 Kg Leg of Lamb out of the fridge for about an hour before cooking. Preheat oven to 150°C fan / 170°C / 325°F / Gas Mark 3. In a roasting tin place2 Onions, chopped into rings2 Carrots roughly chopped3 sprigs Rosemary1 Garlic Bulb split into cloves
- Place lamb on top of veg rub both sides with 4 tablespoon olive oil. Generously season with Salt and Pepper. Leave the leg of lamb fat side up.
- Pour 1000 ml Lamb Stock in around, but not over the top of the lamb leg.
- Cover the roasting tin well with foil to keep the moisture in during cooking. Place in the oven at 150°C fan / 170°C / 325°F / Gas Mark 3 for 3 hr 00 min for 0.8-1.4kg half leg of lamb3 hr 30 min for 1.5-1.7kg leg of lamb4 hr 15 min for 1.8-2.2kg leg of lamb4 hr 45 min for 2.25-2.90kg leg of lamb5hr 15 min for 3-3.5kg leg of lamb
- Remove from oven and take the foil off (keep aside to reuse later).Add your choice of 3 tablespoon Chutney to glaze the leg of lamb or leave it as it is.
- Place back in the oven for another 30-45 minutes, to brown,
- Remove from oven and transfer the leg of lamb to the saved foil, wrap and leave to rest whilst you prepare the gravyEven if not making a gravy, it is really important to allow the lamb to rest for at least 30 minutes, before pulling it apart, this allows the juices to settle for tender soft meat.
Gravy
- Mash the garlic, onion, carrots, and stock together. Use a spoon to try and remove any excess fat sitting at the top of the stock.
- Strain the remaining vegetable lumps out with a sieve into a saucepan. Bring the liquid to a boil.
- Mix 3 tablespoon Plain Flour with equal amount of cold water to form a smooth lump-free paste. Add bit by bit to saucepan whilst boiling until at desired consistency.
- Ready to serve!
Video
Nutrition
This slow roast leg of lamb recipe was originally posted 23rd April 2020 and was updated on the 25th February 2025. To move the recipe card higher in the post for better user experience.
Ingredients
Let's go into more detail about the ingredients needed for this bone-in leg of lamb recipe.
Vegetables
We have used carrots, onions, and garlic cloves as a trivet for slow-roasting lamb leg. These vegetables form a base during the slow roast process.
Not only does this help elevate the lamb off the bottom of the pan, promoting more even cooking, but it also adds flavour to the stock created during the roasting process.
The stock from these root vegetables can then be used to make a delicious gravy to accompany the lamb.
However, it's important to note that other types of root vegetables can be used instead, depending on personal preference or availability.
Beets, turnips, parsnips, and celery root are all great alternatives that can also add depth of flavour to the stock and enhance the overall taste of the dish.
Herbs
We used rosemary for its classic, aromatic flavour, but thyme or oregano work just as well.
For extra flavour through spices. Garlic powder, instead of cloves, boosts savoury richness, while cumin brings warmth and a slight smokiness. Paprika, whether sweet or smoked, adds either a subtle sweetness or a smoky undertone. Black pepper is essential for balance and a touch of heat.
A pinch of cinnamon or allspice adds subtle warmth for a Middle Eastern twist. Feel free to experiment and find your perfect blend! Experiment to find your perfect seasoning!
Leg of Lamb
Go to a butcher for the finest quality lamb, although a leg of lamb from a supermarket will work perfectly, too.
If using a frozen leg of lamb, it must be fully defrosted before cooking.
This whole leg of lamb recipe will work for any size leg. I will give more advice for cooking times of a larger leg or half a leg of lamb below. In this example, we have used a 1.8kg full leg of lamb.
If you have a boneless leg of lamb, you must cook for about 30 minutes less than stated.
Glaze
When you uncover the leg of lamb for the last 45 minutes of cooking, applying a few tablespoons of chutney, marinade, or meat rub helps create a glazed, flavourful, and textured exterior. Choose something that contains sugar or honey to achieve the glaze effect.
We used this delicious Real Ale Chutney, by The Cherry Tree for the final 30-45 minutes of cooking time to give a fantastic sticky glaze. You could use a mint jelly for a minted lamb flavour, like we did in our slow cooker leg of lamb recipe.
Why Slow Roast Lamb?
This slow-cooking technique allows the lamb to cook gently with steam created in the roasting pan, allowing the flavours to mature fully without drying out.
The trick is to add liquid (stock) to the large roasting pan and keep the lamb covered with foil throughout most of the cooking.
The final cooking time without foil is when you roast the leg of lamb with a glaze to give the best presentation.
This results in tender and juicy lamb meat falling off the bone and melting in your mouth.
This way of cooking a leg of lamb is my favourite. You just can't go wrong! There is no checking the meat's internal temperature with thermometers and no worrying about over- or undercooking.
It will be so soft and tender that you will not need a knife to carve. Just a couple of forks to pull the tender meat off the bone.
Cooking Time
We used a 1.8 kg leg of lamb for this recipe, however, the same time will apply up until 2.2kg. I will include different weights and times apply
| Leg of Lamb (bone-in) weight kg and (lb) | Oven cooking time 170C / fan 150C Gas mark 3 (325F) | Final cooking time with chutney added | Total cooking time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.8 kg -1.4 kg (1.7 lb - 3 lb) | 3 hours | 30 minutes | 3 hours 30 minutes |
| 1.5 -1.7 kg (3.3 lb - 3.7 lb) | 3 hours 30 minutes | 30 minutes | 4 hours |
| 1.8 kg - 2.2 kg (3.9 lb - 4.8 lb) | 4 hours 15 minutes | 30 minutes | 4 hours 45 minutes |
| 2.3 kg - 2.9 kg (5 lb - 6.4 lb) | 4 hour 45 minutes | 30 minutes | 5 hours 15 minutes |
| 3 kg - 3.5kg (6.6 lb - 7.7 lb) | 5 hour 15 minutes | 30 minutes | 5 hours 45 minutes |
How to make lamb gravy from scratch?
This recipe not only makes a tender slow-cooked leg of lamb. But also gives you pan juices to use as a base sauce for your lamb gravy!
All you need is a sieve, flour and pepper!
If you don't want gravy with your lamb, why not try out Red Wine Jus Sauce Recipe which goes perfectly with our leg of lamb recipe.
Roast Lamb Serving Suggestions
While the lamb is resting, you can prepare the side dishes for the roast lamb, starting with the oven-roasted potatoes.
We also have an air fryer roast potato recipe, which frees up space in the oven and allows you to roast some honey parsnips.
Traditionally served with beef roast dinners, we serve yorkshire puddings with our roast lamb.
The kids love pigs in blankets, and finally a selection of vegetables like carrots and peas.
We hope you enjoyed cooking this slow roast lamb. We have plenty more roast dinner recipes if you want something for next week?
More Roast Dinner Recipes
If you love this leg of lamb cooked low and slow. You will also love our slow cooked rolled lamb breast. Want something different, check out our popular glazed gammon joint.
If you are looking for roast beef, we have a few to choose from. roast topside beef, slow-roasted silverside, or Rolled Rib of Beef. For something different on a Sunday why not try our showstopping Salmon En Croute.
Our slow cooked leg of lamb in oven is a dish that is sure to tantalize your taste buds and leave you wanting more.
Sharon Murrell says
Absolutely fail safe, lamb was delicious even my teenage son who says he doesn’t like lamb loved it.
After making the gravy I put the squashed veg in Tupperware and made a stew a few days later with the left over lamb and dumplings, yummy on this cold spring day.
Kay says
Hi Sharon
Thanks for the great comment and rating!!
We are really glad you and the family enjoyed our lamb recipe, that sounds like a great idea with the leftover veg for cooking a stew 🙂
Chef Dennis says
This is making my tummy growl!
Kay says
Thank you so much for the comment 🙂
Hope you enjoy the recipe!!
Sharon says
I made this today for my family
It was absolutely amazing! I used tomato chutney and it complemented the lamb perfectly. Thank you for sharing the recipe
Kay says
Thank you so much for the kind words Sharon, its really appreciated 🙂
We are both really happy your family enjoyed our slow-cooked leg of lamb recipe!!
Charlotte says
The BEST. Lamb we have ever eaten thanks so much will definitely do this recipe again and again and again
Kay says
Hi Charlotte
Thank you so much for that great comment and rating!
So nice to hear you thought it was the best lamb recipe ever 🙂
Enjoy!!
Jessica Formicola says
We LOVE lamb at our house and probably eat it more often than most. I've never slow cooked one, so I am so excited to try it!
Kay says
Hi Jessica
Thanks for the comment and Rating 🙂
Hope you enjoy the recipe, let us know how you get on?
eilleneo says
This recipe worked perfectly for me. Both the slow cooked lamb and the gravy. Both were excellent. It really is worth that long slow cook in yhe oven the lamb just fell off the bone znd the flavour was fantastic. Thank you for yhe recipes.
Kay says
Thanks, Eilleneo
Thank you so much for the comment and rating
Really glad the slow-cooked leg of lamb came out perfect for you 🙂
You can't beat a good lamb roast dinner on Easter Sunday, yum yum
Christine Brink says
Do you think one could do the slow cooking the day before and finish it off with the chutney and the final 45 minutes on the day.
Kay says
Hi Christine,
I have never tried doing this before, but I would imagine the cooling, then reheating process may dry the meat out? If I was to make it ahead, I would finish it all the way with the chutney.
Remove the lamb meat from the bone whilst still warm and make the gravy. Refrigerate the lamb and gravy overnight.
Then the next day, reheat some of the gravy in a pan adding some hot water as it will be quite thick.
Place the chunks of lamb in a roasting tin and pour over some of the thinned out gravy, cover the tin with foil to create a steam bath for the cooked lamb meat. About 30 minutes in the oven at 150C fan/ 325F should result in lovely soft tender reheated lamb meat.
Hope that helps?
Please do let us and everyone else reading this know what you do, and how it goes?
Wishing your family a lovely Easter and thank you for using our recipe.
Steve Kenward says
Hi! Is the 45 minutes of uncovered cooking time an additional 45 mins to the weight dependant cooking time or is it just the final 45 mins of the overall cooking time?
E.g would a 2kg leg be 4 hour 15 mins plus 45 mins uncovered. Or 3 hours 30 mins covered and 45 mins uncovered?
Thanks!
Kay says
Hi Steve
Yes sorry for the confusion there, I just re-read it and can see I have not worded it the best!
Cook the lamb leg for the whole 4hrs 15 mins covered, and then and an extra 45 mins with chutney and uncovered. Which will be 5hrs cooking time in total.
I hope you enjoy the recipe and I will get the recipe card updated.
Steve Kenward says
Amazing thanks!
Carole Edmonds says
Hello the gas temperature is that right for a fan assisted oven? Also I want to cook roast potatoes can I turn the heat up when lamb goes back in for the glaze?
Thank you
Kay says
So sorry for the delay to reply, I would recommend cooking the leg of lamb on gas mark 3. We normally finishing cooking the leg of lamb, then cover the lamb joint loosely with foil allowing it to rest whilst keeping it warm. Then you can make the gravy, whilst cooking your other side dishes, like roast potatoes.
Leonie says
Going to cook lamb by your recipe for Easter Sunday, really looking forward to it.. I have a jar of homemade apple/raisin chutney so might use it up for the glaze, what do you think?
Leonie says
Going to cook lamb by your recipe for Easter Sunday, really looking forward to it.. I have a jar of homemade apple/raisin chutney I was gifted before Christmas so might use it up for the glaze, what do you think?
Kay says
Hi Leonie
That sounds fantastic, a lot of chutneys will work, as it gives the lamb a great sticky glaze 🙂
Hope you enjoy it and would love to know how it goes?
Patricia Gallagher says
I don't personally like lamb myself but had family for Easter the recipe was so easy. Everyone enjoyed lamb I ncluding daughter who hated lamb. Looked exactly like the picture. 10 out of 10 first class
Kay says
Hi Patricia
Thank you for the comment, we are so glad you all like our leg of lamb recipe 🙂
Hope you all had a great Easter!!
Phillipa says
Just made this slow roast lamb for lunch for Mother’s Day today. Unfortunately I didn’t have any chutney so used honey and mustard as a glaze. The lamb was absolutely delicious and just fell off the bone. The gravy was also fabulous. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Kay says
Hi Phillipa
Thank you so much for the comment/ rating it really is much appreciated 🙂
Glad you liked the lamb leg recipe, this is our favourite Sunday roast dinner!!
Kechi says
This leg of lamb is perfection; I already know my family would love it! I want to lick my screen; WOW!
I have to stop at the butcher today.
Kay says
Hi Kechi
You have just made us laugh with this comment, wanting to lick your screen 🙂
This is our favourite Sunday Roast!
Hope you enjoy this recipe.
Jo says
All I can say is this was amazing! It was a hit all around the dinner table last night, Love all the flavors in this lamb recipe!
Claudia Lamascolo says
that char and sheen on that lamb is fabulous I can't wait to make this
Dannii says
We always make lamb at Easter time. I love how you have used chutney here.