Greek-Style Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Feta Sauce

5 from 1 vote

Greek-Style Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Feta Sauce

This Greek-style leg of lamb has a little spiral of extra flavor inside, and looks like it was more complicated than it really is to make.

Prep Time25 mins

Cook Time1 hr 10 mins

Marinating and Resting Time2 hrs

Total Time3 hrs 35 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: butterflied leg of lamb, lamb roast, leg of lamb, roasted lamb

Servings: People

Calories: 312kcal

Author: Katie Workman

Equipment

Instant Read Meat Thermometer

Ingredients

1 boned and butterflied leg of lamb fat trimmed (about 6 pounds)
6 cloves garlic roughly chopped
½ cup fresh oregano leaves
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Fresh dill or oregano sprigs to garnish the platter

For the Creamy Feta Sauce:

1 cup plain Greek yogurt preferably whole milk
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
2 garlic cloves very finely minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
½ cup crumbled feta
Dill sprigs for serving, optional

Instructions

Place the garlic, oregano, thyme, 1 tablespoon olive oil and the lemon zest (reserve the juice for later) in a mini or regular sized food processor, and season with salt and pepper. Process until it becomes a paste (if you are a mortar and pestle type of cook, you can use that instead).
Rub about 2/3 of the herb paste on the top of the lamb, the side that was cut for butterflying. Then roll up the lamb, and tie it well with kitchen twine at 1 ½ inch intervals to keep it tightly rolled. Rub the rest of the paste over the outside of the lamb, place in a pan or container, and refrigerate from 1 hour to 24 hours uncovered.
Take the lamb out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature while you preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the lamb in a roasting pan and roast for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375° and roast for another 50 to 70 minutes. An internal thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast should read 125°F for medium rare.
While the lamb is cooking or resting, make the Creamy Feta Sauce. In a small bowl combine the Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, dill, and minced garlic. Add the feta and stir and lightly mashing it into the mixture, using a fork. Taste and season as needed with salt and pepper. Spring over some small dill sprigs, if using.
When the lamb is cooked let it rest on a cutting board for 20 minutes. Slice the lamb against the grain, remove the string, and transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle the reserved 1 tablespoon lemon juice over the sliced lamb and give the slices a light seasoning of salt and pepper. Serve warm with the feta sauce on the side.

Nutrition