Many people want to make a grilled Boneless Leg of Lamb Roast for Easter, but I’m here to tell you that lamb, when cooked correctly, is so delicious you will want to have it year round!

If you’re looking for a dish that’s both elegant and easy to prepare, look no further than this rosemary lemon grilled boneless leg of lamb roast recipe, which features a mouthwatering marinade of rosemary and lemon. Not only is this recipe bursting with flavor, but it’s also cooked on the grill, which adds a delicious smoky taste in just under an hour. Whether you’re hosting Easter dinner, an outdoor cookout, or simply looking to switch up your weeknight dinner routine, this grilled boneless leg of lamb roast is sure to be a hit, even for lamb naysayers!

Lamb, when cooked correctly to an internal temp of 135 degrees is a gamechanger! Prepare to turn friends and family into lamb converts after you make this recipe for them!

The best marinade for grilled lamb:

There’s a reason I chose rosemary and lemon for this recipe. Rosemary and lamb are a match made in flavor heaven, and there’s few better duos than rosemary and lemon when it comes to seasoning protein-rich dishes like chicken and lamb. Even better, it’s minimal ingredients with high-impact flavor that still lets the main dish shine. Any leftovers you end up with would be great on a bun as sliders paired with a nice chutney or tzatziki sauce.

Ingredients:

1 boneless leg of lamb
1 large bunch rosemary
2 cloves of garlic
1/8 cup olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
Zest of 2 lemons
1 large bunch rosemary
2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. pepper

Where to Find a Boneless Leg of Lamb:

Before we even get into my boneless leg of lamb recipe, let’s start in the store. Ask your butcher to de-bone the lamb and butterfly it for you if you have trouble finding boneless leg of lamb in your neck of the woods. I’m a big fan of letting my butcher do the work for me!

Preparation and Cooking:

Before you begin, make sure you have all the necessary ingredients. For this recipe, you’ll need a boneless leg of lamb, fresh rosemary, garlic, lemon zest, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Start by preheating your grill to medium-high heat. While the grill is heating up, remove the lamb from its packaging and pat it dry with paper towels. Next, season the lamb generously with salt and pepper on both sides.

To create the marinade, finely chop two cloves of garlic and mix them with two tablespoons of chopped rosemary, two teaspoons of lemon zest, and four tablespoons of olive oil. Rub the marinade all over the lamb, making sure to coat it thoroughly. Let the lamb marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to two hours if you have the time.

When cooking a leg of lamb, I use the reverse sear method. Basically, starting by grilling the lamb on indirect heat for 45 minutes then moving it to the direct side, five minutes per side. I also use a brick covered in foil to flatten and caramelize the meat. You can check out a video I made on reverse searing — you’ll be a pro in no time!

For the Reverse Sear, you will want to start on the indirect side of the grill and finish on the direct side. Keep in mind that Lamb should be served medium rare at 135 degrees so be careful not to overcook it!

How to Grill Boneless Leg of Lamb Roast:

Prepare your grill for medium high heat at 350 degrees, and create direct and indirect zones.
Grill the leg of lamb on indirect heat for 45 minutes or until an internal read thermometer registers 125 degrees. Now, transfer the leg to the direct side and let it continue to cook for another 5 minutes on each side. Use a brick covered in foil to help flatten the meat on the grill which will also help the outside get crispy.
Once an internal read thermometer like the Thermapen reads 135 degrees, pull the leg off the grill and let it rest for 10 minutes under foil so the juices can redistribute.

Serving and Pairing

Once the lamb is sliced, it’s time to serve it. This dish pairs well with a variety of sides, including roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, or a fresh salad. For an extra touch of flavor, drizzle some lemon juice over the lamb before serving.

If you’re looking for the perfect wine to pair with this dish, we recommend a bold red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or a rich Syrah. The tannins in these wines help cut through the richness of the lamb, while the fruity notes complement the lemon and rosemary flavors.

What temperature to cook lamb:

Just like with beef, how you cook lamb and at what temperature is going to depend on the cut and how you like it cooked. The rule of thumb I use is to serve a leg of lamb at 135 degrees. With the leg of lamb being muscle rich, it’s important not to overcook it — you don’t want to end up serving a dish of dry, chewy meat, blech!

Using a tool like a Thermapen internal read thermometer is a helpful way to keep track of the meat and to pull it out at the right time.

How long to grill a boneless leg of lamb:

Again, how you like your meat cooked is doing to impact how long you cook your leg of lamb. Going off of my recommendation to serve at 135 degrees, which is medium rare, you’re going to cook about 20 minutes per pound. With the reverse sear, I cook the leg on indirect heat for 45 minutes, then move it over to the direct heat. There, I give it five minutes on each leg side and also put the foil-covered brick over it to give it a nice caramelized char.

Note: I’m working with the American Lamb Board to develop Recipes — partnerships such as these help keep this blog going!

Grilled Rosemary Lemon Boneless Leg of Lamb

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Author: Robyn
Total Time: 1:25
Yield: 8 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Scale

1 boneless leg of lamb
1 large bunch rosemary
1/8 cup olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
Juice of 2 lemons
Zest of 2 lemons
1 large bunch rosemary
2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. pepper

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Instructions

Prep Directions:

Combine marinade ingredients in the food processor until uniform in consistency.
Next, slather the marinade on the lamb and let marinate for 30 minutes or more in the refrigerator.

Grilling Directions:

Prepare your grill for medium high heat at 350 degrees, and create direct and indirect zones.
Grill the leg of lamb on indirect heat for 45 minutes or until an internal read thermometer registers 125 degrees. Now, transfer the leg to the direct side and let it continue to cook for another 5 minutes on each side. Use a brick covered in foil to help flatten the meat on the grill which will also help the outside get crispy.
Once an internal read thermometer like the Thermapen reads 135 degrees, pull the leg off the grill and let it rest for 10 minutes under foil so the juices can redistribute.
Slice against the grain for a beautiful presentation. How do you like to prepare lamb? I look forward to hearing your ideas!

Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes

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5 Comments

Kay Scott on June 26, 2014 at 12:56 pm

What do you do if you don’t have a grill?
Robyn on June 27, 2014 at 9:10 am

Hi kay, you can do this in the oven at 350 degrees – roast until an internal read thermometer registers 140 degrees and then let rest for 10 minutes or more to get to 145.

Best of luck!!
Kay Scott on June 27, 2014 at 9:47 am

Thanks for the reply. I’ll be looking forward to more receipts. Can’t wait to try the lamb! Kay Scott
Teri Chadwick on March 4, 2024 at 9:29 pm

Hi I am trying this recipe tonight. It looks like it’s going to be fantastic. I’ve never grilled a leg of lamb before! I have a couple of questions because the recipe was a little confusing. You don’t mention garlic in the lineup of ingredients, and yet you mention that two cloves of chopped garlic go in the marinade. Which is correct?… I went ahead and put it in bc it sounded good! 🙂 Also, I don’t see where the lemon juice comes in except for a drizzle, if desired, after the meat is cooked. And yet the recipe calls for the juice of two lemons. Can you clarify? Thanks!
Robyn on July 28, 2024 at 1:33 pm

Hi Teri, sorry for the confusion. I have updated the recipe with the inclusion of garlic in the ingredient list. It goes into the marinade along with the juice of 2 lemons. Hope this helps!

Rosemary Lemon Grilled Boneless Leg of Lamb Roast

Lamb, when cooked correctly to an internal temp of 135 degrees is a gamechanger! Prepare to turn friends and family into lamb converts after you make this recipe for them!