Air Fryer Confit Lamb Leg
Tender and aromatic lamb legs slow-cooked in the air fryer with garlic and herbs.
Steps
- 1
Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (350°F).
- 2
Season lamb legs with salt, pepper, and olive oil.
- 3
Place them in an air fryer-safe dish with garlic cloves, thyme, and rosemary.
- 4
Pour chicken broth into the bottom of the dish.
- 5
Cook for 30 minutes at 180°C, basting with juices halfway through.
- 6
Continue cooking for another 10 minutes at 160°C (320°F) for perfectly tender confit meat.
- 7
Let the lamb legs rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Shopping list
2 lamb shanks, 2 tbsp olive oil, 3 garlic cloves, 1 fresh rosemary sprig, 1 fresh thyme sprig, 10 fl oz chicken broth, salt and pepper
Recipe story
Lamb confit is a traditional technique from southern France, where meat was preserved by slow cooking in fat. In Mediterranean cuisine, confit lamb with aromatic herbs is prized for its tender texture. This recipe adapts the classic method for the air fryer, preserving authentic flavors.
Ingredient Secrets
Black pepper
Known as 'black gold' in antiquity, pepper was so valuable that it served as currency and tribute. In the Middle Ages, Venetian merchants controlled the pepper trade, and individual peppercorns were often counted. Legend has it that when Alaric, king of the Visigoths, demanded tribute from Rome, he included 3,000 pounds of pepper.
Sea salt
Sea salt, extracted from ocean waters by evaporation, was one of the most precious goods of antiquity, used both as food and as currency. In ancient Rome, soldiers were paid with salt, which is the origin of the word 'salary'. Salt roads connected entire civilizations, and in the Middle Ages, salt was so valuable it was called 'white gold'.
Thyme
In ancient Rome, thyme was burned in temples to purify the air and ward off evil spirits, and Roman soldiers added it to their baths to strengthen their courage. In the Middle Ages, noble ladies embroidered thyme on knights' scarves as a symbol of bravery. The ancient Greeks used it in baths and temples, and its name derives from the Greek 'thymos', meaning 'courage'.
Rosemary
In ancient Rome, rosemary was a symbol of remembrance and fidelity, used in bridal crowns and funeral rites. Legend says that the goddess Venus, emerging from the sea waves, created rosemary.
Garlic
Native to Central Asia, garlic was already known in ancient Egypt, where it was given to slaves to boost their strength. In ancient Greece, athletes consumed it before competitions, and in Rome, legionaries considered it essential for courage. During the Middle Ages, it was used to ward off vampires and the plague.
Olive oil
Originating in the Mediterranean basin, olive oil was already produced in ancient Crete 5,000 years ago. In ancient Greece, it was considered a gift from Athena and used in lamps, cosmetics, and religious ceremonies. The Romans spread it throughout the empire, and in the Middle Ages, monasteries preserved the tradition of its production.
Cloves
Cloves, the dried buds of the exotic Syzygium aromaticum tree, were one of the most prized spices of the ancient world, often called 'aromatic gold'. In the Middle Ages, Venetian merchants controlled the clove trade, bringing them from the Maluku Islands, the only place they grew, and selling them at exorbitant prices in Europe.
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