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Lechazo Asado
Slow roasted young lamb from Castile, blasted in a wood oven until the skin crackles. Simple ingredients, unforgettable result.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Lechazo Asado, in 5 ideas
- Low and slow first, then a final blast of heat for the crackling skin.
- Young lamb (lechazo) is the traditional cut, but a small leg works too.
- Baste often, the water in the pan keeps everything moist.
- Resting is essential, the juices need time to settle back in.
- Serve with nothing but bread and a simple salad, the lamb is the whole show.
What you need
Ingredients
- 1 quarter young lamb (about 2.5kg), bone in
- 100g lard or butter, softened
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp coarse salt
- 500ml water
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 1 lemon, halved
How to make it
Directions
- Rub the lamb all over with lard, crushed garlic and coarse salt. Rest at room temperature 1 hour.
- Heat the oven to 160C (320F). Place the lamb in a roasting pan with the water and rosemary.
- Roast 1 hour 30 minutes, basting every 30 minutes with the pan juices.
- Raise the heat to 220C (425F) and roast 30 to 40 minutes more until the skin is deep golden and crisp.
- Rest 20 minutes, squeeze over the lemon, carve and serve with the pan juices.
Money saver. Ask your butcher for the smaller, cheaper cuts of lamb and roast two instead of one large joint.