Peppercorn-Crusted Roast Leg of Lamb

The distinctive coating on this roasted leg of lamb is created by the use of three types of peppercorns—white, green, and black—the black peppercorn being the strongest of the three.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 (6-pound) leg of lamb, boned and butterflied
1 tablespoon white peppercorns, crushed
1 tablespoon green peppercorns, crushed
1 tablespoon black peppercorns, crushed
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup Burgundy or other dry red wine
1/2 cup raspberry vinegar
8 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Cooking Directions:

1. Place lamb in a large shallow, nonreactive dish.
2. Combine crushed peppercorns in a small bowl; mixing well. Set aside 2 tablespoons crushed peppercorn mixture. Combine remaining peppercorn mixture, mint leaves, Burgundy, vinegar, garlic, and rosemary; mixing well. Pour marinade mixture over lamb. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
3. Remove lamb from marinade, reserving marinade. Roll lamb, tying with heavy string at 2-inch intervals. Coat lamb with mustard; lightly pat reserved peppercorn mixture into mustard.
4. Place lamb in a shallow roasting pan; pour reserved marinade around lamb. Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of lamb.
5. Bake in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 2 hours and 15 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 160°F (70°C), basting occasionally with pan juices. Let stand for 20 minutes before slicing. Serve with pan juices.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Editor's Note: It has come to my attention that this particular lamb recipe, which has been posted throughout the Internet on numerous recipe websites for over 14 years without a credited source, is a closely adapted version of a recipe that was originally included in the The Silver Palate Cookbook first published in 1982. Other than the cooking directions being reworded, the only difference I could find is that the original recipe calls for 5 cloves of garlic instead of 8.

Source: An adapted recipe from The Silver Palate Cookbook; circa 1982.