-
1
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
-
2
It is recommended that you have the butcher remove and set aside the hipbone of the lamb.
-
3
This is the upper bone that is attached to the main (straight) leg bone.
-
4
This can also be done in the home kitchen, using a thin, sharp boning knife, neatly cutting all around the meat attached to the hipbone and severing the hipbone from the main bone.
-
5
Carefully cut away and discard all the fat on the top, bottom and sides of the leg of lamb.
-
6
Sprinkle the lamb with salt and pepper and rub it all over with the oil.
-
7
Put the lamb in a heavy roasting pan or large casserole and cook over moderately high heat, turning as necessary to brown on all sides, about 15 minutes or longer.
-
8
Remove the lamb and pour off any fat that might have accumulated.
-
9
Put the onions, carrots and leeks in the pan and cook, stirring, without browning, about five minutes.
-
10
Place the lamb, the thickest side up, on top of the vegetables and add the broth, bay leaf, parsley, thyme and garlic.
-
11
Put the reserved hipbone on the side.
-
12
Bring to the boil.
-
13
Cover loosely and put in the oven.
-
14
Bake three hours.
-
15
Reduce the oven heat to 275 degrees.
-
16
Continue baking two hours.
-
17
Remove the lamb and strain the pan liquid into a bowl.
-
18
Discard the vegetables and the hipbone.
-
19
Skim off all the surface fat.
-
20
Pour the remaining pan liquid into a saucepan and reheat.
-
21
In theory the meat on the lamb should be so tender it can be scooped off the bone using a spoon.
-
22
You may prefer, however, to pull it off with a fork or carve it.
-
23
Serve with the hot pan liquid.
