Instant Pot Boneless Leg of Lamb. Pot roasted leg of lamb, pressure cooked to fall apart tenderness.
I'm preparing for Easter dinner, so it's Spring lamb time. This recipe is the answer to a common question on my [7-hour leg of lamb in 90 minutes recipe]: “What if I have a boneless roast?” Because it's boneless, I have a few tricks up my sleeve…
Looking for a recipe for a bone-in leg of lamb? Try my 7-hour leg of lamb in 90 minutes. Or for other lamb recipes try my Instant Pot Lamb Shanks, or my Instant Pot Lamb Stew.
Recipe Tips
Instant Pot Leg of Lamb Trick: Cut it into smaller roasts
I’m not cooking the whole leg of lamb as a single roast; I'm cutting it into smaller lamb leg roasts, so each one pressure cooks in a shorter amount of time. A few years ago I figured out why large roasts are such a pain in a pressure cooker. Pressure cooking increases the heat in the pot, but it takes more time for that heat to penetrate into a thick roast, and smaller pieces of meat cook faster (and more evenly). So, I cut my whole boneless leg into four smaller roasts, each about 1 pound and roughly the same size. (Boneless leg of lamb has a lot of different sizes and shapes, so just do your best to get them the same size).
Now, a boneless leg of lamb doesn’t cooperate with “about the same sized roasts”. Lamb legs have lobes of meat with a variety of shapes and sizes. I do my best - I try to cut them into roughly 4-inch long by 2-inch wide pieces. But there's only so much I can do - some pieces wind up thick and fat, some are long and thin. That's OK - the smaller sized roasts, even though they're not perfectly matched, cook in a similar amount of time under pressure.
Lamb Seasonings
And, for lamb, I use what I think of as my "Northern Mediterranean" flavor profile, which could come from Spain, France, or Italy. I rub the lamb with olive oil, garlic, and fresh herbs, saute an onion, and cook it with a little red wine for the braising liquid. And, I throw some carrots in the pot, because I love braised carrots.
Ingredients
- Boneless leg of lamb roast
- Fine sea salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- Olive oil
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh rosemary
- Fresh thyme
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Red wine
- Chicken broth or beef broth (homemade or low sodium store-bought)
- Carrots
See the recipe card for quantities
Equipment
- 6 quart Instant Pot (or other 6 quart pressure cooker).
How to Make Instant Pot Boneless Leg of Lamb
Season and sear the roast
Remove any netting from the lamb roast, unroll it and lay it out flat, and cut it into 4 pieces, each roughly 4” x 2” x 2”. Sprinkle the lamb with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Rub the minced garlic, rosemary, and thyme into the lamb pieces, working it in to any natural crevices in the meat. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker, using Sauté mode adjusted to high, until the oil is shimmering. (Use medium-high heat in a stovetop pressure cooker.) Sear the lamb in two batches, two pieces at a time. Sear each piece on 2 sides – use the largest sides – until it is well browned, about 3 minutes a side. (So, about 12 minutes total.) After searing, put the lamb on a platter and set aside for later.
Sauté the aromatics
Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pressure cooker pot, and heat until shimmering. Add the onion and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Sauté until the onion softens, about 3 minutes, stirring and scraping the browned lamb bits from the bottom of the pot with a flat-edged wooden spoon. Pour in the wine, bring to a simmer, and simmer for 1 minute to boil off some of the alcohol.
Everything in the pot
Pour in the chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pot one last time to loosen any browned bits of onion. Add the lamb (and any lamb juices on the platter), then scatter the carrots on top.
Pressure cook the lamb leg for 50 minutes with a natural pressure release
Lock the pressure cooker lid and cook at high pressure for 50 minutes (“Pressure Cook” or “Manual” mode in an Instant Pot), or for 45 minutes in a stovetop PC. Let the pressure come down naturally, about 20 more minutes.
Defat the sauce and serve
Gently move the pieces of lamb to a serving platter, and the carrots to a serving bowl, using tongs or a slotted spoon. Pour the remaining liquid in the pot into a fat separator and let settle for five minutes. Cut each piece of lamb in half, pour a little of the defatted sauce over it, and serve, passing the rest of the sauce and the carrots on the side. Enjoy!
What to Serve With Instant Pot Boneless Leg of Lamb
I love to serve this lamb with Instant Pot smashed potatoes or couscous to soak up the sauce. I also serve a green salad, a vegetable (like my Instant Pot Green Beans), and if I want to really lean into the Mediterranean vibe, pita bread and hummus.
Storing Leftovers
Braised meat (like this leftover lamb leg) makes great leftovers. Store the meat in 2-cup containers, covered with extra sauce, and it will last for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, or up to 6 months in the freezer.
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Instant Pot Boneless Leg of Lamb Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
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Pin RecipeDescription
Instant Pot Boneless Leg of Lamb. Pot roasted leg of lamb, pressure cooked to fall apart tenderness.
Ingredients
- 4- to 5-pound boneless leg of lamb roast, cut into 4 pieces, each roughly 4-inches by 2-inches by 2-inches
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (or dried)
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme (or dried)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup red wine (I usually use a blend, like a cote du rhone) or water
- 1 cup chicken broth (homemade or low sodium store-bought) or water
- 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths
Instructions
- Season and sear the roast: Remove any netting from the lamb roast, unroll it and lay it out flat, and cut it into 4 pieces, each roughly 4” x 2” x 2”. Sprinkle the lamb with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Rub the garlic, rosemary, and thyme into the lamb pieces, working it in to any natural crevices in the meat. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker, using Sauté mode adjusted to high, until the oil is shimmering. (Use medium-high heat in a stovetop pressure cooker.) Sear the lamb in two batches, two pieces at a time. Sear each piece on 2 sides – use the largest sides – until it is well browned, about 3 minutes a side. (So, about 12 minutes total.) After searing, put the lamb on a platter and set aside for later.
- Sauté the aromatics: Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pressure cooker pot, and heat until shimmering. Add the onion and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Sauté until the onion softens, about 3 minutes, stirring and scraping the browned lamb bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Pour in the wine, bring to a simmer, and simmer for 1 minute to boil off some of the alcohol.
- Everything in the pot: Pour in the chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pot one last time to loosen any browned bits of onion. Add the platter of lamb (and any lamb juices) to the pot, then scatter the carrots on top.
- Pressure cook the lamb leg for 50 minutes with a natural release: Lock the pressure cooker lid and cook at high pressure for 50 minutes (“Pressure Cook” or “Manual” mode in an Instant Pot), or for 45 minutes in a stovetop PC. Let the pressure come down naturally, about 20 more minutes. (If you're in a hurry, you can quick release any remaining pressure after 15 minutes).
- Defat the sauce and serve: Gently move the pieces of lamb to a serving platter, and the carrots to a serving bowl, using tongs or a slotted spoon. Pour the remaining liquid in the pot into a fat separator and let settle for five minutes. Cut each piece of lamb in half, pour a little of the defatted sauce over it, and serve, passing the rest of the sauce and the carrots on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
What if my boneless leg of lamb is bigger? Or smaller? As long as you cut it into roughly 2” by 2” by 4” pieces, each weighing a pound or so, the timing on the recipe stays the same. The cooking time is determined by the size of each piece, not the total weight. Don’t decrease the amount of liquid in the recipe, though; a pressure cooker needs the liquid to come up to pressure.
After cooking, I cut each piece of lamb in half and serve them as mini-roasts, because most people don't want a pound of lamb per serving. You can also slice the lamb into ½-inch thick slices and fan them out on a platter - no one will ever know you cooked them as smaller roasts.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
Category: Sunday Dinner
Method: Pressure Cooker
Cuisine: French
Keywords: Instant Pot Boneless Leg of Lamb, Pressure Cooker Boneless Leg of Lamb
What do you think?
Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
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