Sweet and Spiced Lamb Leg

Ingredients

• 1 lamb leg (3½ pounds), bone-in
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 cloves garlic
• 1 (1½-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled
• 4 large tomatoes, chopped
• 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
• 2 jalapeños, deseeded (optional, for less heat)
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro (leaves and stalks separated)
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1½ teaspoons ground allspice
• 4 cups water
• ½ cup fresh orange juice
• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven Preheat your oven to 330°F (165°C).
2. Season and Sear the Lamb Pat the lamb leg completely dry with paper towels. This helps it sear properly. Sprinkle generously all over with ½ teaspoon of the kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering and hot, add the lamb leg. Sear on all sides until deeply golden brown, about 10 minutes total, turning every few minutes to brown evenly. You want a nice crust all over! Once seared, transfer the lamb to a plate and set aside. Don't clean the pan, you'll use those browned bits for the sauce!
3. Make the Aromatic Sauce Base While the lamb is searing or right after, add the garlic cloves, peeled ginger, chopped tomatoes, chopped onions, jalapeños, and cilantro stalks (save the leaves for garnish) to a food processor. Pulse a few times until the mixture is chopped into small pieces but not fully puréed. You want some texture, not a smooth paste.
4. Cook the Sauce Base Add the blended vegetable mixture to the same saucepan or Dutch oven you used to sear the lamb (with all those delicious browned bits still in there). Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until the mixture is fragrant and slightly golden. The vegetables will release their moisture and start to caramelize. Stir in the ground cumin, ground cinnamon, and ground allspice. Cook for an additional 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant and toasted.
5. Add Liquids and Build the Braising Sauce Return the seared lamb leg to the saucepan, nestling it into the aromatic vegetable mixture. Add the water, orange juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, and the remaining 1½ teaspoons of kosher salt. Add more black pepper to taste. Stir everything together around the lamb to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then immediately cover the pan tightly with a lid or heavy-duty aluminum foil.
6. Braise in the Oven Carefully transfer the covered pan to the preheated 330°F oven. Cook for 3 hours, basting the lamb occasionally (every 45 minutes to 1 hour) with the juices from the pan. This keeps the lamb moist and builds up layers of flavor. Just open the oven, remove the lid, spoon the sauce over the lamb, re-cover, and return to the oven.
7. Finish Uncovered After 3 hours, uncover the pan and baste the lamb one more time with the pan juices. Return the uncovered pan to the oven for another 30 minutes. This final uncovered cooking allows the sauce to thicken and concentrate, and gives the lamb a beautiful caramelized exterior.
8. Rest and Serve Remove the lamb from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing or shredding. The lamb should be incredibly tender and may fall off the bone on its own! Slice or shred the lamb and arrange on a serving platter. Drizzle generously with the thickened sauce from the pan. Garnish with the reserved fresh cilantro leaves. Serve hot with your favorite sides!