Roast lamb is the centrepiece of the Australian Sunday roast, a tradition carried from Britain in the colonial era and made uniquely Australian by the country’s vast sheep country and its love of cooking outdoors. It was a roast lamb dinner that welcomed the first European settlers, and lamb remains the meat Australians most associate with family gatherings — Easter, Christmas, and countless Sundays marked by the smell of rosemary and garlic drifting from the kitchen.
What makes it great is the combination of a crackling-crisp, garlicky crust and tender, blushing-pink meat, surrounded by vegetables that roast in the lamb’s own fat until they’re gloriously golden and crisp-edged. Carved at the table, served with mint sauce and rich pan gravy, it’s the most comforting, celebratory meal in the Australian repertoire — and the leftovers make legendary sandwiches.
