Double Leg Recipe

Bring to room temperature

Remove the double leg roast from the refrigerator 60–90 minutes before cooking so it comes closer to room temperature. Pat the roast dry with paper towels.

Make herb-garlic rub

In a small bowl combine minced garlic, chopped rosemary, chopped thyme, olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Rub the mixture all over the surface of the roast, pressing to adhere. If the roast has a fat cap, massage some of the rub into the fat.

Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F). Heat a large heavy-bottomed roasting pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat on the stovetop. When hot, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place the roast, fat-side down first, and sear without moving for 3–4 minutes until a deep brown crust forms. Turn and sear all sides, 2–3 minutes per side. Remove the roast to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan, then add onions, carrots, celery and smashed garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute to remove raw edge.

Deglaze the pan with the red wine, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Bring wine to a simmer and reduce by half, about 3–5 minutes. Add beef stock and bay leaves and bring to a gentle simmer.

Return the seared roast to the pan, nestling it into the aromatic vegetables and liquid. The liquid should come up to roughly one-third to one-half the height of the roast—not cover it. If necessary, add a little more stock or water.

Cover the pan tightly with a lid or heavy-duty foil. Transfer to the preheated oven and roast at 160°C (325°F) for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours for medium-rare to medium (internal temperature 56–60°C / 133–140°F). For more well-done, continue roasting to desired temperature. Check after 90 minutes and baste once or twice with pan juices.

When the roast reaches your target internal temperature, remove it from the oven and transfer the roast to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and rest for 20–25 minutes; internal temperature will rise slightly and juices will redistribute.

While the roast rests, strain the pan juices into a saucepan, pressing on solids to extract flavor. Discard bay leaves and coarse vegetable solids. Skim off excess fat, then bring the strained juices to a simmer over medium heat.

Whisk in butter to enrich the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. If the sauce needs thickening, simmer until reduced to desired consistency or whisk in 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbs cold water and simmer 1–2 minutes.

Slice the roast against the grain into 1/4"–1/2" thick slices. Transfer slices to a warmed platter, spoon sauce over, and sprinkle with chopped parsley and optional coarse sea salt to finish.