Name: Leg Of Lamb with Fresh Mint Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 85 min
Ingredients: Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees F.; 5 pound Lamb ((boneless leg), this one was just over 5 pounds. ); 3 Tablespoons kosher salt; 3-4 Rosemary sprigs, (finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)); 2 teaspoons black pepper; 3-4 cloves garlic (peeled, and sliced into thin slivers); 1/2 cup water; 2-4 Tablespoons sugar; 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, (finely chopped and packed); 1 cup malt vinegar ((wine or cider vinegar won’t give the same flavor)); pinch of kosher salt

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Lamb with mint sauce is studded with garlic and roasted with rosemary, salt, and pepper. It’s the perfect Easter meal or Sunday supper.

Aussie leg of lamb with mint sauce is my favorite Easter meal. Of course, when choosing what lamb to buy the best comes from ‘Down-Under”. (This post was originally posted on April 2nd, 2014. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn commission on qualifying purchases.)

I was at an Aussie lamb event and had the opportunity to learn more about what makes Aussie lamb so special.

Buy Australian Grass-Fed Lamb

Australia is the perfect place to raise lamb and beef. With a landmass nearly as large as the US, but a population of less than 25 million, Australia has plenty of space for grass-fed, pasture-raised animals.

The Aussies have been farming lamb and beef for over 200 years. Their reputation for producing ethically raised meat is unsurpassed.

Aussie lamb and beef raise their animals in natural, open spaces, which contributes to a stress-free environment for the lambs.

Check out Aussie Lamb for more information on how it’s ethically raised.

I’ve mentioned grass-fed lamb, but what exactly does grass-fed mean?

When you buy Aussie grass-fed lamb you are guaranteed that the lamb you purchased was ethically raised, grass-fed, and never fed antibiotics! You can usually find Aussie lamb in your local grocery stores.

Bone-In Lamb or Boneless Lamb?

You can buy a bone-in leg of lamb, partially boned leg, or a boneless leg of lamb.

I prefer a partially boned or boneless leg of lamb as it cooks faster, and is easier to slice. However, people say bone-in legs may be tastier.

I like to stud my lamb with slivers of garlic for extra flavor. The rub I use is freshly chopped rosemary, kosher salt, and coarsely ground black pepper.

Remember to take into consideration cooking times, since boneless legs will cook faster compared to bone-in lamb legs.

What is the Proper Lamb Cooking Temperature?

This, of course, depends on how you like your lamb. It used to be that lamb was only served well-done. Don’t do this with Aussie lamb!

Seriously, good quality lamb (or beef) should be served medium-rare, to medium at the most!

Some would argue that’s too well-done. Yes, this is a personal preference, but if you’re going to spend the money on high-quality meat, please don’t over-cook it!

The best way to ensure the perfect temperature is to use a meat thermometer. I use this one, which you can keep in the meat while it’s in the oven.

The thermometer will beep when it’s getting close to the correct lamb temperature. If you prefer your lamb rare, you’ll want to pull it out at 130 degrees.

For medium-rare, it should register 135 degrees, and for medium 150 degrees. Remember that it’s easier to cook it longer, but once it’s over-cooked, you can never go back. I like this thermometer for checking meat.

Keep in mind that the meat will rise up to an additional 10 degrees after it’s taken out when resting.

How to Make Fresh Mint Sauce For Lamb

If you’ve only had lamb with mint jelly, please try this fresh mint sauce recipe. American mint jelly for lamb is loaded with artificial colors and flavors.

It’s also cloyingly sweet and electric green. In England, lamb is traditionally served with a mint sauce, which is more akin to an au jus.

It’s tangy, slightly sweet, and simply made using, mint, malt vinegar, very little sugar, and it makes for a great leg of lamb mint sauce.

Fresh mint, salt and malt vinegar on a wood cutting board.

The entire recipe contains just one to two tablespoons of sugar, but if you are sugar sensitive, you can certainly substitute your favorite sugar alternative.

chopped mint on cutting board for mint sauce

This homemade mint sauce recipe comes from the old Time/Life Series, Foods of the World, The Cooking of the British Isles. My mom collected the whole set in the ’60s and has given me the entire hard-back collection and some of the spiral-bound recipe books.

It’s also fun to see how “food photography” has changed over the last 40 plus years.

It’s the best mint sauce for lamb, and it’s easy to make! Simply dissolve sugar and ½ cup of water over low heat until barely simmering.

Add a handful of fresh mint leaves, a cup of malt vinegar, and a pinch of salt, and let it sit at room temperature for a couple of hours.

Adjust the flavor (sweetness) by adding a bit more sugar if necessary. Serve on the side of the lamb in place of mint jelly.