bacon wrapped leg of lamb with red wine reduction

Lamb

Bacon-Wrapped Leg of Lamb with Red Wine Reduction

This bacon-wrapped lamb has been a family favorite for over two decades! Growing up, Mom would always make this for dinner on Easter Sunday or New Year's Day. The bacon adds a wonderful smoky flavor to the outside of the lamb, and the garlic permeates the meat throughout. All topped off with a delectable red wine reduction and delicious served with mashed potatoes!

Ingredients

1 (4 pound) leg of lamb
3 cloves garlic, slivered
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
6 slices bacon
1 small onion, minced
½ cup dry red wine
1 cup beef stock
1 teaspoon tomato paste
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Trim excess fat and thin membrane from leg of lamb; place into a roasting pan. Cut slits in meat and insert garlic slivers into slits. Mix together olive oil, lemon juice, and rosemary in a small bowl until well combined; brush mixture over lamb. Lay bacon slices over meat. Let roast stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Roast lamb in the preheated oven until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of leg, not touching bone, reads 145 degrees F (65 degrees C) for medium-rare or 160 degrees F (70 degrees C) for medium, 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. Transfer lamb to a serving platter, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let stand while you make sauce.
Skim and discard excess grease from pan drippings left in the roasting pan; place roasting pan over medium heat. Cook and stir onion in drippings until translucent, about 5 minutes; pour in wine, scraping up and dissolving brown bits of food stuck on the bottom of the pan. Pour in stock, bring sauce to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Stir tomato paste into sauce, bring to a simmer, and cook until sauce has reduced to about 1 cup. Season with salt and black pepper. For a smoother sauce, strain before serving.