Roast Lamb with Chimichurri Stuffing

Be inspired by the idea of stuffing breadcrumbs, garlic, lemon, and herbs into slashes made in a leg of lamb, this dish delivers a fragrant roast with lots of delicious stuffing. The slashes also help reduce cooking time too!

Product: Jimmy The Argentine Chimichurri

Serves: 4–6
Effort: Moderate
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minute

Ingredients

• 2kg leg of lamb (bone-in)
• 3 tbsp (50g) chimichurri
• 1 tbsp grated lemon zest
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (see notes)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 1 lemon, cut into quarters

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C /200°C fan. Position the lamb with the thickest end toward you. Using a sharp knife, make cuts at right angles to the bone, spacing them a finger-width apart, and cutting through to the bone. This should create “lamb steaks” attached to the bone.
2. In a bowl, mix the chimichurri, lemon zest, parsley, and breadcrumbs. Add the olive oil and combine thoroughly, using your hands to form a soft mixture.
3. Push the stuffing firmly into the slashes between the meat slices. Tie the lamb back into shape using kitchen string to secure the stuffing inside.
4. Place the prepared lamb in a roasting dish, drizzle with olive oil, and roast for 20 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 180°C (160°C fan) and continue roasting for 1 hour.
5. Remove the lamb from the oven and transfer it to a plate. Cover loosely with foil and rest for 15 minutes. Strain the roasting juices into a bowl, skimming off any surface fat.
6. Cut the string and carve the lamb parallel to the bone. Drizzle the carved meat with the strained juices and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Hints & Tips

• A lamb leg roast is ideal for this recipe. The provided cooking times yield pink meat; for well-done lamb, cook for an additional 10–15 minutes.
• Don’t hesitate to make deep cuts into the lamb. Once stuffed and tied, the lamb roasts beautifully.
• For fresh breadcrumbs, remove crusts from day-old bread and pulse in a food processor. Use panko breadcrumbs as a shortcut if preferred.