Sweet Crusted Leg of Lamb

Sweet Crusted Leg of Lamb is a lovely – and very easy – recipe for a holiday dinner. The semi-boneless leg of lamb is roasted with a coating of breadcrumbs, orange marmalade or preserves, and mustard, resulting in lamb that is moist, tender, and flavorful. When choosing the marmalade, take a look at the sugar content. Products high in sugar, as marmalade tends to be, may burn. Low-sugar orange preserves are less sweet and still full of flavor. If you find that the coating is starting to burn, cover the roast with foil and remove it toward the end of cooking.

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 177°C (350°F). In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread crumbs, mustard, marmalade, cranberry sauce, garlic, and rosemary to make a paste.

2. Unwrap the lamb. If netting has been used, remove it, taking care to keep the shape of the lamb intact. If the lamb has been tied with string, allow the string to remain. Using your hands, spread the paste so it completely covers the lamb, doing the underside first and then finishing with the top (fat) and sides.

3. Place the lamb in a shallow roasting pan. Cover tightly with foil. Roast until a meat thermometer reads 57°C (135°F) for rare, 60-63°C (140-145°F) for medium rare, or 71°C (160°F) for medium, 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours, removing foil  halfway through cooking.

4. Slice the lamb in thick (9 cm/¾ inch) slices, taking care to keep the flavorful crust together with the meat. Any crust that falls from the side of the roast can be served as garnish. You may also choose to garnish each serving with a spoonful of cranberry sauce.