This slow-roasted leg of lamb is infused with anchovy, garlic, lemon, and loads of herbs. The anchovies melt into the marinade and bring deep umami flavour, without tasting overly fishy. It’s subtle and savoury and adds that “something extra” without stealing the show.
The lamb is roasted slowly until perfectly tender—sliceable but soft enough to pull apart with a fork. It’s layered with garlic, fresh herbs, and citrus, then slow-cooked over onions and wine to build the base of a rich, pan-style gravy.
If you’re looking for a special weekend meal or something to serve for a family gathering, this one delivers. I love that it’s mostly hands-off, so you can get on with life while time makes the magic. My favourite kind of cooking.
I created this recipe to pair with the ultra-fabulous Simelia Fluvius Reserve Merlot 2017. I was lucky enough to taste it on the farm last year while staying at their beautiful guest house, where we enjoyed a personal tasting hosted by owners Simon and Celia, with Simon himself – Simelia’s winemaker – leading us through the wines. With Simelia, they’ve artfully fused New World expression with Old World tradition, and that care and craftsmanship shines through in every sip.
The Simelia Fluvius Reserve Merlot 2017 is a standout single-varietal Merlot from Voor-Groenberg in Wellington, awarded 5 stars in the Platter’s Guide. Crafted with precision, it spent 36 months maturing in the barrel followed by another 36 months in the bottle before release—resulting in remarkable depth and elegance.
Expect fresh red fruit notes, a silky, soft finish, and finely balanced acidity. While it’s ready to enjoy now with a bit of air, this wine offers exceptional ageing potential, easily developing for over 15 years if cellared well.
What You Will Need to Make This Roast Lamb
You only need a few ingredients to build flavour. Most of them are pantry staples or easy to find:
- Leg of lamb (around 2.5kg), trimmed and scored
- Anchovies in oil (plus a little of the oil)
- Fresh garlic, lemon zest + juice
- Parsley, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves
- Onion and extra garlic for the roasting base
- Lamb stock or stock cube with boiling water
- Dry white wine (nothing fancy—just dry)
How to Make This Roast Lamb with Anchovy and Herbs
1. Make the marinade
- In a mortar and pestle or mini processor, combine lemon zest, anchovies, parsley, and garlic.
- Mash into a thick paste. Add a little anchovy oil (or olive oil) to loosen it up.
2. Prep the roasting tray
- Layer onions, halved garlic, rosemary, and thyme in the base.
- Place the leg of lamb on top. Spread the marinade all over.
- Season generously with salt and pepper.
3. Marinate
- Ideally, cover and refrigerate overnight.
- If you’re short on time, leave at room temp for 1–2 hours before cooking.
4. Roast
- Preheat oven to highest setting.
- Roast the lamb for 5 minutes at high heat.
- Turn the oven down to 170°C (fan) and roast for 4 hours—undisturbed.
5. Brown
- After 4 hours, move the lamb to a smaller tray and roast for 10–15 minutes more to brown.
- Keep an eye on it—turn the heat up slightly if needed but don’t let it burn.
6. Rest
- Cover loosely with foil and let it rest while you make the gravy.
How to Make the Gravy
- Strain the pan juices into a jug. Let the fat rise to the top.
- Skim off the fat using a fat separator or lay a paper towel gently over the top to absorb it. Repeat 3–4 times.
- Pour the defatted liquid into a pot and reduce by half over high heat. Squeeze out some of the roasted garlic into the liquid (or serve this alongside the roast).
- Make a slurry: whisk 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with ½ cup of hot liquid.
- Stir this back into the pot and cook until slightly thickened.
FAQs
Can I make this with a shoulder of lamb?
Yes—A shoulder is a smaller cut, so cooking it for 4 hours will make it fall off the bone.
What if I don’t like anchovies?
Try using less. The anchovy melts into the marinade and enhances flavour without making it taste fishy at all. You will not know there are anchovies in the dish at all. You can also substitute with miso paste or a dash of Worcestershire sauce.
Can I use red wine instead of white?
You can, but it will change the flavour slightly. White keeps things light and lets the herbs and citrus shine.
Substitutions & Variations
- Swap parsley for oregano.
- If you don’t have lamb stock, use beef stock or vegetables as a backup.
Storage Instructions
- Store leftover lamb in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Reheat gently in a covered dish with a splash of stock or water to keep it moist, or in a microwave.
- Freeze-cooked lamb and gravy for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat slowly.
As this is a more classic lamb dish I wanted to serve it with minty peas and roast potatoes. You can check out my best-ever duck fat roast potatoes or my recent recipe for roasted smashed potatoes with brown butter sage.
If you liked this leg of lamb recipe, you might also like my slow-roasted shoulder of lamb with harissa & garlic.
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 8 anchovies in oil plus a little of the anchovy oil
- A few sprigs of parsley about 5g
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 leg of lamb trimmed of excess fat and scored (approximately 2.5kg’s)
- 1 red or white onion quartered
- 2 heads of garlic halved (remove a few whole cloves before cutting one head in half)
- 4 rosemary stalks
- 6 –8 thyme stalks
- 2 bay leaves optional
- 1 cup lamb stock made with 1 cube + 250ml boiling water
- 200 ml dry white wine
The leg of lamb
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Make the marinade in advance, preferably the day before.
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In a mortar and pestle or small food processor, combine the lemon zest, anchovies, parsley, and garlic cloves. Bash or blend into a thick paste. Add a splash of anchovy oil (or olive oil) to loosen the mixture slightly.
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Prepare your roasting tray by placing the onion quarters, halved garlic, and half the rosemary and thyme in the base. Lay the lamb leg on top.
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Spread the marinade all over the lamb and season generously with salt and pepper. Cover the tray tightly with foil and refrigerate overnight.
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If you’re short on time, marinate the lamb for at least 1–2 hours at room temperature before roasting.
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Preheat the oven to its highest setting and take the lamb out of the fridge to come to room temperature.
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Roast the lamb at high heat for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 170°C (fan) and roast for 4 hours—without opening the oven or checking the meat.
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After 4 hours, remove the lamb from the oven. Transfer it to a smaller roasting tray and return it to the oven for 10–15 minutes to brown. You can turn the oven temperature up slightly if needed—just watch closely to avoid burning.
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Once browned to your liking, take the lamb out, cover it loosely with the same foil, and let it rest while you make the gravy.
For the Gravy
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Strain the pan juices through a fine sieve into a jug or bowl. Let the fat rise to the top—using a glass jug makes it easier to see.
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Skim off the fat using a fat separator or the paper towel method:
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Lay a sheet of kitchen paper over the surface to absorb the fat, then lift it off carefully. Repeat 3–4 times until most of the fat is removed.
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Pour the defatted pan juices into a medium pot and set over high heat. Let it reduce by half.
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In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with ½ cup of the hot liquid to make a slurry. Whisk it into a paste, then add back into the pot and whisk until slightly thickened.
- Store leftover lamb in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Reheat gently in a covered dish with a splash of stock or water to keep it moist, or in a microwave.
- Freeze-cooked lamb and gravy for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat slowly.
Sam Linsell is a 3 x cookbook author, food stylist and photographer.
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