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Slow-roasted leg of lamb (Gigot de Sept Heures)

5
Points®
Total Time
7 hr 30 min
Prep
30 min
Cook
7 hr
Serves
10
Difficulty
Moderate
A French classic, this recipe is a foolproof blueprint for the most tender and flavorful lamb dish you will ever have. Perfect for a dinner party or holiday gathering, the long cook time is a labor of love with a big pay off. Garlic, rosemary and sage infuse the cooking oil and juices from the lamb to create a basting liquid that is out-of-this-world. Be very patient as the meat roasts, basting the leg often, particularly during the last 3 hours. The lamb will end up almost like duck confit, rich and soft, the reward for all that effort. Serve over a quinoa pilaf with herbs and dried fruit and a side of wilted spinach for a colorful and richly flavorful plate. You won't want to spare a drop of liquid or a nugget of lamb.

Ingredients

Cooking spray

1 spray(s)

Uncooked lean and trimmed lamb leg

5 pound(s), bone-in

Garlic

10 clove(s), (separated from the head but not peeled)

Rosemary

1 Tbsp, minced

Fresh sage

1 Tbsp, minced

Fresh thyme

1 Tbsp, stemmed

Bay leaf

2 leaf/leaves

Fat-free reduced sodium chicken broth

2 cup(s)

Water

2 cup(s)

Instructions

  1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 300°F.
  2. Spray a large, flame-safe roasting pan or broiler pan with cooking spray; set over medium heat. Brown lamb on all sides, turning occasionally, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large cutting board.
  3. Stir garlic, rosemary, sage, thyme and bay leaves in pan until fragrant. Pour in broth and water; bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits.
  4. Return lamb to pan, meaty side facing up. Turn off heat. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil (or use cover if your roasting pan has one). Set pan in oven and roast 4 hours, basting with pan juices once an hour.
  5. Reduce oven’s heat to 275°F. Uncover pan. Remove garlic cloves; reserve in a small bowl covered in refrigerator. Continue roasting lamb another 3 hours, basting with pan juices every 15 minutes or so.
  6. Transfer lamb to a cutting board. The meat will be quite tender, almost falling apart. Use two large spatulas to help you move meat, setting roasting pan as close to cutting board as possible. Chop meat off bone into small pieces. Discard herbs and bone. Serving size: 4 oz cooked lamb meat.

Notes

You need a sturdy, metal, flame-safe roasting pan to prepare this classic French meal. Yes, you can use your oven’s broiler pan, provided it’s flame-safe. If you don’t have a flame-safe roasting pan, you’ll need to complete the recipe through Step 3 in a very large skillet, then scrape everything into a large roasting pan, baking dish or oven-safe casserole.Want to learn how to turn lamb leftovers into gyros, stroganoff and pilaf? Check out this article.

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