Slow-roast lamb with cinnamon, fennel & citrus

4 steps · 43 min total

1. 01

   Marinate the Lamb

   Place the lamb leg into a large food bag with the lemon juice. Seal the bag and let it marinate in the fridge overnight, or for at least 8 hours.
2. 02

   Sear the Lamb

   The next day, pull the lamb from the fridge about 1 hour before you plan to cook it to bring it closer to room temperature. Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan/gas 7). Remove the lamb from its marinade, reserving any liquid, and pat the leg thoroughly dry with paper towels.

   Rub the lamb with half of the olive oil, then transfer it to a roasting pan. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until the exterior is nicely browned. Take the lamb out of the oven and reduce the temperature to 160°C (140°C fan/gas 3).

3. 03

   Season and Wrap

   In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest, the remaining olive oil, honey, cinnamon, fennel seeds, ground cumin, and minced garlic. Season generously with salt and pepper to create a thick paste.

   Lay a large sheet of baking parchment over an equally large sheet of foil. Place the browned lamb leg on top, then rub the spice paste all over the lamb. Drizzle the reserved marinade into the base of the foil package. Pull up the sides of the foil and parchment, then scrunch the edges tightly to create a sealed packet around the lamb.

4. 04

   Slow Roast and Rest

   Return the sealed lamb packet to the oven and roast for 4 hours, until the meat is very tender and nearly falling off the bone. Once cooked, leave the lamb wrapped and let it rest for 30 minutes. Finally, unwrap the lamb and serve it with all the accumulated pan juices.