Sous Vide Leg of Lamb With Black Olives Recipe (2024)

Leg of Lamb
Dairy-free Mains
Gluten-free Mains
Sous Vide
Lamb Mains

Flavor lamb leg with an intense black-olive paste, then cook it sous vide for an easy and tasty Easter roast that (mostly) takes care of itself.

J. Kenji López-Alt

Culinary Consultant

Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.

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Updated March 29, 2019

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Why It Works

Black olives complement the robust flavor of lamb.
Using the sous vide method ensures perfectly even cooking from edge to edge.

A butterflied leg of lamb is ideal for stuffing and rolling with other ingredients, and, because lamb is so robustly flavored on its own, you don't have to be shy or subtle about it. In this recipe, you'll stuff a lamb leg with a paste of black olives, garlic, and parsley, then cook it sous vide for perfectly foolproof results.

Punch Up Sous Vide Leg of Lamb With Briny Black Olives | The Food Lab

Recipe Details

Sous Vide Leg of Lamb With Black Olives Recipe

Active45 mins

Total2 hrs 45 mins

Serves8 servings

Ingredients

6 ounces pitted kalamata olives (about 1 cup; 170g)
1 medium clove garlic, minced
1 ounce picked fresh parsley leaves (about 1 cup; 30g)
3 tablespoons (45ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 butterflied boneless leg of lamb (4 to 5 pounds; 1.8 to 2.2kg) (see note)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Combine olives, garlic, parsley, and 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil in the bowl of a food processor. Process until a chunky paste forms, scraping down sides with a rubber spatula as necessary, about 20 seconds. Transfer mixture to a bowl.
Spread half of mixture evenly over inside of lamb leg, then carefully roll it back up.
Secure lamb leg with butcher's twine at 1- to 1 1/2–inch intervals, starting from both ends and working toward the center. Season exterior generously with salt and pepper.
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Preheat a sous vide water bath to desired temperature according to chart above. Seal lamb inside a vacuum bag, or a zipper-lock bag using the water displacement method, then submerge and cook for desired time according to chart above.
When ready to serve, remove lamb from bag and carefully pat dry with paper towels. In a cast iron, carbon steel, or nonstick skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil over high heat until lightly smoking, then add lamb and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides, about 4 minutes total.
Remove twine, slice lamb, and serve immediately with remaining olive mixture.

Notes

Imported lamb from Australia and New Zealand tends to have a milder flavor and smaller size. Larger American lamb tends to be more strongly flavored.

Sous Vide Boneless Leg of Lamb Temperatures and Timing

Doneness	Temperature Range	Timing Range
Very rare to rare	115°F (46°C) to 124°F (51°C)	2 to 3 hours
Medium-rare	125°F (52°C) to 134°F (57°C)	2 to 6 hours (3 hours max if under 130°F/54°C)
Medium	135°F (57°C) to 144°F (62°C)	2 to 6 hours
Medium-well	145°F (63°C) to 154°F (67°C)	2 to 6 hours
Well-done	155°F (68°C) and up	2 to 6 hours

Special Equipment

Butcher's twine, sous vide precision cooker, food processor

This Recipe Appears In

The Food Lab: Punch Up Sous Vide Leg of Lamb With Briny Black Olives

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
557	Calories
40g	Fat
2g	Carbs
46g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories	557
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 40g	51%
Saturated Fat 14g	69%
Cholesterol 167mg	56%
Sodium 729mg	32%
Total Carbohydrate 2g	1%
Dietary Fiber 1g	3%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 46g
Vitamin C 5mg	26%
Calcium 42mg	3%
Iron 4mg	25%
Potassium 587mg	12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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