6 Tips To Make The Perfect Holiday Lamb Roast

Lamb is a staple of the spring, often present on holiday tables across the country. Whether it's a leg, crown roast, loin, shoulder, or rack, the golden brown crispy exterior and tender roasted lamb makes the ideal main dish for your holiday meal. Make the perfect lamb roast with some tips from Megan Wortman, executive director of the American Lamb Board. 

1. Ask your butcher to help you select and prepare your cut of choice. For example, a butcher can remove the bone from a leg of lamb, or "french" a rack of lamb, simplifying your prep work.

2. For best results, bring the meat to room temperature before cooking it.

3. Sear the outside of the meat for the first 10 to 20 minutes, sealing in the meat's juices and flavors.

4. Roast slowly at 325 degrees F for approximately 15 to 20 minutes per pound.

5. Let the meat rest for 15 minutes after removing it from the oven, to help it retain its juices.

6. For medium rare, cook meat to an internal temperature of 135 degrees; for medium, cook to an internal temperature of 150 degrees. Keep in mind that the temperature of the meat will rise another 5 to 10 degrees after it's removed from the oven. 

Test out these tips and tricks in a simple, fresh take on a holiday meal with Roasted Boneless Leg of Lamb with Potatoes, Leeks, and Mint Salsa Verde.

This article was originally published March 18, 2015.