Roast Leg of Lamb with Pomegranate

The two-day pomegranate marinade is doing double duty here. It tenderizes the lamb while loading it with deep ruby flavor, then gets strained and simmered into a tangy pan sauce that catches every drip from the carving board. Whole-grain mustard adds a peppery backbone, and fresh garlic keeps it firmly on the savory side of sweet.

This is the kind of centerpiece roast that looks fancy and demands almost nothing once the marinade is mixed.

Resting the lamb for the full fifteen minutes after it leaves the oven matters more than people think. Cut too soon and all that pomegranate-soaked juice ends up on the cutting board instead of in the meat.

Chef Tips

• Strain the marinade twice through a fine mesh sieve before reducing, otherwise the sauce will go grainy from minced garlic and mustard seeds.
• Cranberry juice subs in for pomegranate when the produce aisle lets you down, but stick with unsweetened.
• A leave-in meat thermometer is the easiest way to nail medium-rare: pull at 130°F (54°C) and let carryover bring it to 135°F (57°C).
• Flip the lamb halfway through the marinade so every side gets equal exposure.

Variations

• Stir a tablespoon of pomegranate molasses into the reduced sauce for extra depth and tartness.
• Add a sprig of fresh rosemary or thyme to the marinade for a Mediterranean lean.
• The same marinade works beautifully on a butterflied lamb shoulder grilled over coals.