Red Wine Garlic Roasted Leg of Lamb

In a 6-quart pot over high heat, combine the herb mixture, water, red wine, salt, toasted black peppercorns, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Submerge the leg of lamb in the brine. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, stirring again halfway through.

Remove the leg of lamb from the brine and pat it dry. Place the leg of lamb on a large rimmed baking sheet or in a large casserole dish and leave at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

If using the garlic, use a large boning knife to cut twenty 1-inch- (2.5-cm-) wide incisions up and down the leg of lamb and all the way to the bone, spacing the cuts 1 to 2 inches (2.5 cm to 5 cm) apart. Stuff approximately one clove’s worth of minced garlic in 10 of the incisions and one whole garlic clove in the remaining 10 incisions, being sure to alternate between minced and whole garlic across the entire leg of lamb.

Roast the leg of lamb for 45 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Flip the leg over and continue to roast until the internal temperature is 135°F (57°C), about 45 minutes more. Begin checking the lamb early to avoid overcooking it.

Turn the oven off and leave the lamb inside for another 15 minutes to rest.

To carve the leg of lamb, use a very sharp knife to slice thin ¼-inch (6-mm) slices perpendicular to the bone and against the grain, like a spiral ham. Be sure to scoop up any garlic bits or cloves and sprinkle them over the sliced meat when serving.