Use our expert cooking guide for the best roast lamb. From choosing the right cut to the correct cooking times, and delicious recipes to cook's tips, we've got all you need to make the most of your roast.
The perfect roast lamb
The perfect roast lamb
Our Cookery School star chef Alex Szrok shows how to cook the perfect roast lamb
Roast lamb cooking times & temperatures
Roast lamb cooking times & temperatures
WHOLE, HALF OR BONELESS SHOULDER
Oven
170°C
Fan
150°C
Gas
3
40 minutes per 500g, plus 40 minutes
(typical weight: whole 1.75kg; half 1kg; boneless 1.4kg)
HALF LEG, WHOLE LEG OR BONELESS LEG & PART-BONED SHOULDER
Oven
180°C
Fan
160°C
Gas
4
Half or whole leg
(typical weight: half 1kg; whole 2.2kg)
Medium
25 minutes per 500g, plus 25 minutes
Well done
30 minutes per 500g, plus 30 minutes
Boneless leg
(typical weight: 1.25kg)
30 minutes per 500g, plus 30 minutes
Part-boned shoulder
(typical weight: 1kg)
60 minutes per 500g, plus 30 minutes
LAMB RACK
Oven
200°C
Fan
180°C
Gas
6
Preheat a nonstick frying pan and fry the lamb on all sides over a high heat to seal the meat. Transfer to a small roasting tin and cook for:
Medium
14 minutes
Well done
16 minutes
*cooking instructions per rack approx. 380g
Roast lamb cooking tips
Roast lamb cooking tips
Take large joints of meat out of the fridge one hour before you want to start cooking them.
For large joints, it’s a good idea to cook them on a high heat (220°C / gas mark 8) for the first 20 minutes. This makes the skin crisp while the heat penetrates the meat.
Baste the meat 2-3 times during cooking. Using a turkey baster or a large spoon, scoop the juices up from the corner of the pan, and drizzle back over the top of the joint.
Pierce the thickest part of the joint to check if it’s ready – pinky-red juices mean it’s rare, slightly pink and it’s medium, and clear juices mean it’s well done.
Rest the lamb after cooking before serving. This helps the juices settle back into the meat for a more tender serving.
Roast lamb recipes
Roast lamb recipes
Choose from our favourite ways to enjoy roast lamb
Choose the best cut
Choose the best cut
Allow 225g of meat per person – a joint for 6 should weigh between 1.5-2kg. Buy a slightly larger joint than you need if possible, as large joints tend to shrink less in the oven. You can always use up the leftovers.
Neck
Inexpensive and underrated, it’s a tougher cut that turns out beautifully when slow cooked. Try it in our roasted lamb ragù recipe.
Shoulder
A fattier joint of meat that benefits from slow roasting at a low temperature for a tender, full-flavoured result. A 2.25kg shoulder serves 6-8 people. Boneless lamb shoulder is also available, rolled and tied, and a half shoulder is a good option for a smaller crowd.
Rack
A smaller cut for 2-3 people. One of the more expensive cuts, but it’s so delicious there’ll be no waste.
Loin
Located between the ribs and sirloin, the loin is the most tender part of the lamb. You can cook it as a whole roast loin or enjoy lamb loin chops, such as in this lamb rogan josh traybake.
Leg
Best for a crisp outside with a pink, juicy centre. A whole leg, at 2-2.75kg, makes an impressive centrepiece for a gathering of 6-8 people, and retains flavour from the bones. A boneless leg makes for easy carving, and if you're cooking for a smaller crowd, a half leg is a good option.
Shank
This is the bottom portion of the leg, below the knee. Known for its extremely tender meat, the shank is an impressive looking cut when served as the centrepiece. It’s a great joint for slow-cooking too and adds amazing meaty depth to stews and curries. Choose 1 lamb shank per person when cooking.
What herbs and spices go with lamb?
What herbs and spices go with lamb?
There are many ways to enhance the flavour of your roast lamb.
- Start with something simple like rosemary and garlic; using a small sharp knife make several small incisions in the meat, being careful not to cut too deeply. Push a thin sliver of garlic and a small sprig of rosemary into each incision. As the lamb cooks, the rosemary and garlic will impart a wonderful flavour into the meat. Try either fresh or dried rosemary in our slow-roast lamb recipe.
- Marinating lamb in red wine and garlic overnight, or a mixture of yogurt and turmeric, all add great flavours. Remove all the marinade ingredients before you cook the lamb. If you’ve coated it in a spiced yogurt mixture, scrape as much off as you can.
If you like your lamb plain and simple, just sprinkle it with salt before you cook it. Don’t salt it too far in advance as the salt will draw the moisture out of the meat and could make it dry. Leave any fat on the meat to help baste it and keep it moist during cooking.
What wine to serve?
What wine to serve?
More delicate cuts, rump or rack for example, go best with elegant, more restrained wines like a Bordeaux blend, northern Rhône or rosé. If you're going for a braised or slow-cooked shoulder with plenty of fragrant spices, match it with bolder options such as Malbec or Rioja.
All our LAMB is BRITISH – all year round
All our LAMB is BRITISH – all year round
We like to keep our lambs happy, with room to frolic and graze, and our British farmers share our commitment to higher welfare standards. We’re proud of our animal welfare policies and work hard to maintain them while supporting our brilliant farmers and suppliers.
