1 5- to 6-pound boneless leg of lamb
(about 8 pounds with bone in)
3 medium cloves garlic
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons minced fresh mint
or 2 teaspoons dried
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary or 1
teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground
pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 3-pound boxes coarse kosher salt
(11 cups)
2½ cups water
You can either leave on the elasticized netting that holds boneless roast together or remove it before marinating – if you know how to tie up the roast with kitchen string.
In the bowl of a food processor or blender, place garlic, parsley, mint, rosemary, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper and olive oil. Process until ingredients are finely chopped.
Place meat in self-sealing plastic bag; pour marinade over and distribute evenly to coat; close bag. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
The next day, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line roasting or broiler pan with double thickness of heavy aluminum foil.
In large mixing bowl, combine kosher salt with 2 cups water and mix with hands until salt is well moistened. Add remaining ½ cup water only as needed to reach a consistency similar to fluffy. (Caution: if salt is too wet, it will slide off the meat.)
In the bottom of the roasting pan, pat a layer of salt mixture ½-inch thick into a rectangle slightly larger than the roast. Pat lamb dry with paper towels and place on top of salt in pan. Insert meat thermometer into middle of roast. Pack moistened salt entirely around roast, at least ½-inch thick. Seal well around sides and thermometer; wiggle thermometer around to make sure salt isn’t resting against probe.
Place lamb in oven and roast for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees. Cook until thermometer registers 5 degrees below desired doneness; roasting time in our tests was about 2 hours for medium-rare.
(Note: The American Lamb Council recommends 145 to 150 degrees internal temperature for medium-rare, 155-160 for medium. In FOODday’s experience, 150 degrees internal temperature is closer to “medium” than “medium-rare.” You be the judge.)
Remove lamb from oven. Break salt, using hammer, if necessary. (This is less messy if you put salt-encrusted roast on rack in sink.) Allow steam to escape. Brush off remaining salt crystals with pastry brush.
Let lamb rest on platter for 10 minutes to firm up, during with time temperature with climb at least 5 degrees. Carve and serve. Makes 12 servings.
Per serving:
Calories: 304 (55% from protein,
1% from carbohydrate, 44% from fat)
Protein: 40 grams
Total fat: 14 grams
Saturated fat: 4 grams
Cholesterol: 126 mg
Sodium: 631 mg
Carbohydrate: 0-1 gram
Exchanges: 5½ meat, ½
fat.