Air-Fried Lamb Leg: Quick, Crispy, And Delicious

Air fryers are a great way to cook a lamb leg, but how long does it take? The answer depends on the weight of the lamb, the type of air fryer, and the desired level of doneness. A half leg of lamb weighing around 1kg will take around 40-50 minutes to cook in an air fryer at 180°C, while a larger lamb leg may take up to an hour or more. It's important to use a meat thermometer to check that the lamb has reached the desired internal temperature, as this is the best way to ensure it is cooked to your liking.

How to get a juicy lamb leg

Air frying a lamb leg is a great way to get a juicy and tender roast. Here are some tips to ensure your lamb leg turns out juicy and delicious:

Choose the Right Cut of Lamb

Select a lamb leg that will fit in your air fryer. A half leg or boneless leg is a good option if you have a smaller air fryer. Alternatively, you can cut a whole leg into smaller pieces to fit in your air fryer.

Bring the Lamb to Room Temperature

Take the lamb out of the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature. This helps the lamb cook more evenly and prevents it from drying out.

Season the Lamb

Pat the lamb dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. This helps the seasonings stick to the meat and ensures a crispy exterior. Then, season the lamb with your desired herbs, spices, and oil. You can use a simple combination of salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary, or get creative with other seasonings like oregano, thyme, or a za'atar spice blend.

Cook at the Right Temperature and for the Right Duration

Air fry the lamb at a high temperature initially to form a crust, and then lower the temperature to continue cooking. The exact temperature and timing will depend on your air fryer and the size of your lamb leg. For example, a 3-pound boneless leg of lamb may take about 60 minutes to cook to medium-rare. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature and doneness of the lamb, aiming for an internal temperature of 125°F to 145°F for rare to medium-rare.

Allow the Lamb to Rest

Once the lamb is cooked to your desired doneness, remove it from the air fryer and let it rest for about 10-15 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring a juicy and tender lamb leg.

Collect the Juices for Gravy

Don't discard the juices that collect in the air fryer basket or the resting plate. Use these juices to make a delicious lamb gravy to serve with your roast.

How to get a crispy exterior

Preparation

To get a crispy exterior on your air fryer lamb leg, you'll want to start with the right preparation. Firstly, ensure your lamb leg isn't too big for your air fryer. You may need to cut it into smaller pieces to ensure it fits well in the basket with some space for air to circulate.

Take the lamb out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to let it come to room temperature. This will help it cook more evenly.

Pat the lamb dry with a paper towel. This helps the seasonings stick to the meat and ensures a crispy exterior.

Seasoning

The key to a crispy exterior is in the seasoning. You can use a variety of seasonings, but a simple combination of salt and pepper with some dried or fresh herbs will work well. Here are a couple of specific suggestions:

• Sea salt flakes and olive oil
• Salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and dried rosemary

You can also add some spices to your lamb. Try a Greek-inspired blend with garlic and oregano, or go for a Middle Eastern twist with garlic salt, Aleppo pepper, and lemon, or a za'atar spice blend.

To help the seasoning adhere, spritz or rub the lamb with a little olive oil before applying the spices.

Cooking

When you're ready to cook your lamb leg, place it in the air fryer basket with the fat side up. Set the temperature to a high heat of around 400°F/200°C for the first 15-20 minutes to develop a nice crust. Then, reduce the temperature to around 325°F/160°C-180°C and continue cooking for another 30-45 minutes, depending on your desired level of doneness.

For a juicy lamb leg with a crispy exterior, don't open the air fryer during the cooking process.

Resting

Once the lamb is cooked to your liking, remove it from the air fryer and let it rest for about 10-15 minutes. This will give you a more even colour throughout and ensure the meat is tender.

Carving

When you're ready to serve, use a sharp knife to carve the lamb against the grain in thin slices for the most tender meat.

Enjoy your air fryer lamb leg with a crispy exterior!

How to cook a half leg of lamb

Ingredients:

• Half leg of lamb (bone-in)
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Garlic
• Fresh rosemary
• White wine vinegar
• Dried oregano
• Garlic granules
• Beef stock cube
• Potatoes
• Fresh thyme

Method:

• Take the lamb out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to let it come to room temperature.
• Make two slits in the lamb and insert slices of garlic into the skin.
• Rub the lamb with olive oil and season with salt, black pepper, dried oregano, and garlic granules.
• For extra flavour, create a marinade by blitzing garlic, rosemary, olive oil, vinegar, stock cube, salt, herbs, and seasonings in a mini chopper. Pour the marinade over the lamb and wrap tightly in foil.
• Preheat the air fryer to 180-200°C.
• Place the lamb in the air fryer basket, ensuring there is enough space between the lamb and the heating element.
• Air fry for 10 minutes at 200°C to develop a nice crust, then lower the temperature to 160-180°C and cook for 30-45 minutes.
• Check the internal temperature of the lamb with a meat thermometer. For medium-rare, the internal temperature should be 52-57°C. For medium, it should be 60-63°C, and for well-done, it should be 65-74°C.
• Remove the lamb from the air fryer and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Tips:

• You can add potatoes to the air fryer and cook them alongside the lamb. Simply cube the potatoes, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt, pepper, oregano, and lemon juice.
• It is important to rest the meat after cooking to allow the juices to redistribute and ensure even cooking.
• The cooking time may vary depending on the weight of the lamb leg and the type of air fryer used, so it is recommended to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature and adjust the cooking time accordingly.

How to cook a whole leg of lamb

Ingredients

• Whole leg of lamb (bone-in)
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Olive oil
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Dried rosemary

Method

• Take the lamb out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to let it come to room temperature.
• Make some slits in the skin of the lamb and push small slices of garlic into the skin.
• Drizzle the lamb with olive oil and rub in a mixture of salt, black pepper, dried rosemary, garlic powder, and onion powder.
• Place the lamb in the air fryer basket, ensuring it is not too close to the heating element.
• Set the air fryer to 200°C (400°F) and cook for 10-20 minutes to develop a nice crust.
• Lower the temperature to 180°C (360°F) and continue cooking for 30-45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 63°C (145°F) for medium-rare.
• Remove the lamb from the air fryer and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before carving and serving.

Tips:

• Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the lamb and ensure it is cooked to your desired level of doneness.
• If your air fryer is large enough, you can add potatoes to cook alongside the lamb for delicious roast potatoes.
• For extra flavour, try marinating the lamb in a mixture of garlic, rosemary, olive oil, vinegar, stock cube, salt, herbs, and seasonings before cooking.

How long to rest the lamb for

Resting the lamb is an important step in the cooking process. It allows the meat to relax and ensures an even colour throughout, as well as making the meat tender. The lamb should be wrapped in foil and kept somewhere warm while it rests. This is also a good opportunity to make the gravy and finish off any side dishes. The lamb should rest for at least 10 minutes, but ideally 15 minutes. If you need to rest the lamb for longer, cover it with a couple of tea towels or use the keep-warm function on your air fryer if it has one.

Once you've unwrapped the lamb to carve it, be sure to save the juices that have collected in the bottom of the foil and add them to the gravy or pour them over the sliced meat.

Frequently asked questions