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Roast Leg of Lamb with Rosemary and Anchovy
The classic Easter and Sunday roast — studded with garlic, rosemary and anchovy for a gravy with real depth.
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The exact cuts from our counter, delivered fresh across Essex.
Roast leg of lamb is the grand old roast of the British table. The anchovies are the butcher's trick — they melt away entirely, leaving no fishiness, only a deep savoury bass note in the gravy.
Method
Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Take the lamb out of the fridge at least an hour ahead.
Make deep incisions all over the leg with a small knife. Push a slice of garlic, a tuft of rosemary and a piece of anchovy into each.
Rub the leg with olive oil, salt and plenty of pepper. Sit it on the quartered onions in a roasting tin.
Roast for 20 minutes, then turn the oven down to 180°C (160°C fan).
Roast for 15 minutes per 500g for blushing pink — about 1 hour more for a 2kg leg, to 55-58°C internal.
Rest under loose foil for 25-30 minutes. This is when you make the gravy: set the tin over heat, add the wine, scrape, add the stock, and simmer.
Carve away from the bone in thick slices and serve with the onion gravy, roast potatoes and spring greens.
Pro tips from the block
- Pink is not underdone: leg of lamb at 55°C is juicy and tender. Grey lamb is a choice, not a rule.
- Bone-in for flavour: the bone conducts heat and adds depth to the pan juices. Boneless roasts faster — drop 15 minutes.
- Rest religiously: carve early and watch the juices run away from you.
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