Pesto-Crusted Rotisserie Leg of Lamb

This Pesto-Crusted Rotisserie Leg of Lamb is a celebratory meal worthy of the season without a ton of dishes, mess or effort. This year, I am going to do myself a favor and simplify a bit by making this easy leg of lamb in my rotisserie instead of mussing up the whole kitchen with a million pots and pans.

To make this rotisserie meal, you start with the lamb... and add the potatoes an hour before your lamb will be done. Then, add the vegetables 30 minutes before the lamb is done. Simple, easy, elegant!

Ingredients

• 5-6 pound bone-in leg of lamb
• 1 cup store-bought pre-prepared pesto
• 8-10 garlic cloves
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 pound baby potatoes, sliced in half
• ¼ cup olive oil
• Bunch of asparagus, stalks trimmed
• 2-4 roma tomatoes cut in half
• Tablespoon of quality aged balsamic vinegar

Directions

1. With a sharp knife, cut small ½ inch deep cuts into the lamb (same number as garlic cloves) spacing cuts over the whole cut of the meat. Stuff the cuts with a clove of garlic.

2. Use 3-4 rotisserie ties to tie the leg of lamb every few inches to help the lamb cook more evenly, and to keep its form and balance while cooking.

3. Rub the leg of lamb with the pesto sauce on all sides. If your pesto has salt listed in the ingredients, skip adding salt until serving, but definitely give your lamb a good dusting of pepper.

4. (Optional) Allow the lamb to sit refrigerated for at least an hour and up to 4 to allow the flavors of the pesto to penetrate the meat.

5. 30 minutes before you start cooking your lamb, remove it from the refrigerator and let it warm a bit on the counter.

6. Place the leg of lamb on your rotisserie spit, making sure it is balanced, and place into rotisserie oven.

7. Set your rotisserie to suggested time (see chart below) per pound of lamb. There are many factors that contribute to how quickly it cooks, so I recommend using a meat thermometer to measure doneness instead of time.

8. When you have about an hour of cooking time left, toss your potatoes with salt, pepper and olive oil and place in a single layer onto your rotisserie drip tray. You may want to use a spatula to stir them up a bit after 30 minutes of roasting.

9. When you have about 30 minutes left, brush your asparagus with a bit of olive oil and add salt and pepper. Drizzle your tomato halves with a bit of balsamic vinegar. Add vegetables to the drip tray.

10. When your lamb has reached the desired internal resting temperature, set your rotisserie to no heat rotate and allow it to rest and rotate for 15 minutes to come to finished internal temperature.

Medium-rare   Rest at 135 °F  To reach 145°F	Medium   Rest at 150 °F To reach 160°F	Well Done   Rest at 160 °F To reach 170°F
Cook time   15-20 min per pound	Cook time   20-25  min per pound	Cook time   25-30 min per pound

 

Chef’s notes:

Use the leftover lamb to make some breakfast hash with onions, potatoes, and lamb topped with a fried egg.

Bone-in leg of lamb is less expensive than boneless, but feel free to substitute boneless- just expect a little extra cooking time with boneless.

Happy Holidays

Enjoy!