Easter 2012 or how my husband got his way
I love to entertain. I would do it daily if I could. Most of the time, I just plan a coffee with friends during the day while my husband is away. You see, my husband isn't a social butterfly like yours truly. Shocking isn't it. Tee hee. My friends are nodding their heads in agreement/pity.
We usually pack them in for Easter. My husband begged off of entertaining this Easter. He works full time and is a part-time student, so the poor bugger is T-I-R-E-D. I pouted for a bit but went about my usual Easter preparations even if it would only be for four.
I bought a HUGE leg of lamb, served two desserts (Ms. Becky's carrot cake and a purchased Key Lime Pie) and all the usual sides like peas, cucumbers, mashed potatoes and my favorite clover leaf wheat buns. My husband poked his head in the kitchen Saturday night and asked "Why are cooking like crazy in here? It's just us." "Uh, can't I cook for just us?" "I guess so."
The lamb was unbelievable. Seriously, it was the best leg of lamb I ever made, ate, or heard about. Crispy herb crust and juicy inside. It was cooking away in the oven while we were in church. The thought of it waiting for us was just a little distracting Sunday morning. Wait, was that my stomach growling in church? Ooops. My husband and kids raved about it. All you could hear Sunday at lunch was "mmm... ohh... mmmm"
I wanted to write the recipe here because at the next family celebration I will hear "honey, remember that lamb you made on Easter? Do that again."
Herb Encrusted Leg of Lamb
(this marinates overnight so prepare the day before)
Fresh Leg of Lamb with partial bone in (I found a beautiful local one at HEB)
2 Tablespoons fresh chopped thyme
2 Tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary
Kosher Salt
black pepper
4 garlic cloves
garlic powder
onion powder
3 limes
Bacon Grease (save this from a few days of making bacon)
olive oil
Lightly rub down the leg of lamb with olive oil. Don't go crazy here.
Cut small slits into the leg and stuff with 1/2 clove of garlic
sprinkle with pepper, salt, garlic & onion powder all over
Mix the chopped rosemary and thyme and put on underside and on the top. Wrap in plastic wrap and let sit in fridge overnight.
The next morning:
Put in a rack in a pan (to keep it out of the drippings) with the fat side up. You will notice one side of the leg has more fat than the other.
Squeeze 3 limes all over the top of it.
Top with 3 large globs of bacon grease before popping in oven.
Set oven to 325 (no need to preheat) Rule of thumb is 30 to 35 minutes per pound. Lean toward the 35 minute time if you like it less pink in the middle. Mine took 3 1/2 hours. Lamb is supposed to be served a little pink inside.
You can make an unbelievable gravy by put the pan on your stove. In a separate bowl, mix 3 Tbl. corn starch and about 1/4 water. Add to your drippings and stir. You may need to add more of this corn starch mixture depending on how much drippings you have.
We usually pack them in for Easter. My husband begged off of entertaining this Easter. He works full time and is a part-time student, so the poor bugger is T-I-R-E-D. I pouted for a bit but went about my usual Easter preparations even if it would only be for four.
I bought a HUGE leg of lamb, served two desserts (Ms. Becky's carrot cake and a purchased Key Lime Pie) and all the usual sides like peas, cucumbers, mashed potatoes and my favorite clover leaf wheat buns. My husband poked his head in the kitchen Saturday night and asked "Why are cooking like crazy in here? It's just us." "Uh, can't I cook for just us?" "I guess so."
The lamb was unbelievable. Seriously, it was the best leg of lamb I ever made, ate, or heard about. Crispy herb crust and juicy inside. It was cooking away in the oven while we were in church. The thought of it waiting for us was just a little distracting Sunday morning. Wait, was that my stomach growling in church? Ooops. My husband and kids raved about it. All you could hear Sunday at lunch was "mmm... ohh... mmmm"
I wanted to write the recipe here because at the next family celebration I will hear "honey, remember that lamb you made on Easter? Do that again."
Herb Encrusted Leg of Lamb
(this marinates overnight so prepare the day before)
Fresh Leg of Lamb with partial bone in (I found a beautiful local one at HEB)
2 Tablespoons fresh chopped thyme
2 Tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary
Kosher Salt
black pepper
4 garlic cloves
garlic powder
onion powder
3 limes
Bacon Grease (save this from a few days of making bacon)
olive oil
Lightly rub down the leg of lamb with olive oil. Don't go crazy here.
Cut small slits into the leg and stuff with 1/2 clove of garlic
sprinkle with pepper, salt, garlic & onion powder all over
Mix the chopped rosemary and thyme and put on underside and on the top. Wrap in plastic wrap and let sit in fridge overnight.
The next morning:
Put in a rack in a pan (to keep it out of the drippings) with the fat side up. You will notice one side of the leg has more fat than the other.
Squeeze 3 limes all over the top of it.
Top with 3 large globs of bacon grease before popping in oven.
Set oven to 325 (no need to preheat) Rule of thumb is 30 to 35 minutes per pound. Lean toward the 35 minute time if you like it less pink in the middle. Mine took 3 1/2 hours. Lamb is supposed to be served a little pink inside.
You can make an unbelievable gravy by put the pan on your stove. In a separate bowl, mix 3 Tbl. corn starch and about 1/4 water. Add to your drippings and stir. You may need to add more of this corn starch mixture depending on how much drippings you have.
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| The most delicious leg of lamb! |
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| Snugglebunny carving the leg of lamb |
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| Ready for devouring. Just the right amount of pink inside. |
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| the spread |
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| is your mouth watering? |
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| plated to perfection |
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| too full to move to the sofa |
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| stop taking pictures of me! I'm too full to stop you! |
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| Ms. Becky's carrot cake |
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