Coarse or kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
Finely grated zest from 2 lemons
Instructions
Rub the garlic and lemon zest all over the lamb and season well with salt and pepper. Place in a bowl or on a plate and refrigerate overnight, uncovered.
Preheat the oven to 425 F. While the oven is preheating, place the lamb on a rack in a roasting pan of some sort and allow it to come to room temperature.
Roast the lamb for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 F and continue to cook for another 1 ½ hours to 1 hour 45 minutes, until a meat thermometer registers 135 F in the center of the meat. Start testing on the very early side. Remove from the oven and let it sit for 20 minutes to collect its juices and finish cooking before carving and serving.
Notes
Leftovers are everything when you are making a leg of lamb. Carve all the meat off the bone. You can either leave it in chunks and slice it later or slice it all. If you plan to reheat it, you might want to leave it in a big chunk so that it doesn't overcook too much when you warm it.It can be warmed in a 300-degree oven just until warmed throughout, anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the piece.Leftover lamb can be stored in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 3 days.