Succulent lamb breast is slow roasted to tender, juicy perfection and topped with a bright and tangy gremolata made from lemon and parsley.
If you’ve been too intimidated to attempt a bone-in lamb breast – don’t be! Because this cut is quite fatty, it is nearly impossible to overcook or dry out. As we’ll show you in this easy one-pan recipe, the trick is to bake the lamb covered at a low temp for fall-off-the-bone goodness every time!
Before the lamb is roasted, a dried herb paste is smothered on top. This recipe keeps it simple with oregano, salt and pepper, but you can also add a half teaspoon of cumin, dried fennel or coriander to the spice blend.
To balance out the fattiness of the lamb, we coat it in a tangy mix of lemon and parsley, known as gremolata. This condiment helps cut through the richness in the meat, and we use it both in the final stages of crisping up the lamb and as a garnish for serving.
The real star of the recipe is the horseradish crust that coats the lamb breast. This aromatic root holds the gremolata in place and imparts a flavor that only horseradish can.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNAFER ASHLEY — PALEO HACKS
Get started by blotting the lamb breasts dry with a paper towel and placing them bone-side down on a parchment paper-lined baking pan. Stir together sea salt, black pepper, oregano and avocado oil in a small bowl and smear onto the lamb breast to coat. Cover the pan securely with aluminum foil and bake at 300ºF for 2½ hours. (Psst: if you enjoy the rich taste of slow roasting, you’ll love these easy Paleo crock pot recipes!)
Check the lamb with a fork to make sure it’s tender. If not, send it back to the oven for an additional 30 minutes. While the lamb is roasting, mix together the gremolata.
When the lamb is nice and fork-tender, remove it from the oven and set aside. Increase the oven temperature to 425ºF and coat each breast with horseradish, followed by ½ of the gremolata. Return to the oven, uncovered this time, for 15 minutes to crisp up and brown the top of lamb. Remove from the oven and let it rest for five minutes before slicing in half. Slide a sharp knife horizontally between the meat and bone to remove the breast. Then serve with the remaining gremolata and dig in!
Note: Because lamb breast doesn’t yield a lot of meat, each breast is one serving.
Prep time – 15 minutes
Cook time – 2 hours, 45 minutes
Total time – 3 hours
Serves – 2
PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNAFER ASHLEY — PALEO HACKS
Tools
Baking sheet with raised edges
Parchment paper
Aluminum foil
Small mixing bowl
Ingredients
For the Lamb:
- 1 t sea salt
- 1/2 t black pepper
- 2 t dried oregano
- 2 t avocado oil
- 2 bone-in lamb breasts
- 1 T horseradish
For the Gremolata:
- 1 T lemon zest
- 1 T lemon juice
- 1 cup curly parsley, finely chopped
- 1 t garlic, minced
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 300ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine the sea salt, black pepper, oregano and avocado oil. Stir to form a paste. Coat the top of both lamb breasts with the herb mixture and place onto baking sheet.
- Cover securely with aluminum foil and bake for 2½ hours, or until lamb is fork-tender.
- Remove from the oven and set aside. Increase the oven heat to 425ºF.
- To make the gremolata, stir together all ingredients in a small bowl. Divide in half.
- Spread horseradish onto the top of each lamb breast and then coat with 1/2 of the gremolata, setting the other half aside.
- Set the lamb back in the oven and roast an additional 15 minutes, uncovered, to crisp up. Spoon on the remaining gremolata before serving.
Meet The Chef
Jennafer Ashley is a Recipe Developer and Food Photographer. She is the girl behind the healthy recipes at Fresh and Fit, her recipe development company and blog of the same name. Jennafer loves to cook recipes that suit a variety of diet lifestyles- from Vegan to Paleo. Her philosophy on food is that it should be beautiful, affordable, and of course, delicious. When Jennafer isn’t in the kitchen, you can find her hiking with her German Shepherd or perusing the aisles of home decor stores.
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