Barbecued Marinated Lamb Leg Recipes

LAMB LEG GRILLED WITH ROSEMARY, GARLIC & DIJON MARINADE

Steps:

• Make the marinade for the lamb leg - very finely chop the rosemary leaves, mince the garlic and press onto it with the flat side of the knife, zest the lemon. Combine all three with the olive oil, Dijon mustard and salt and pepper. Mix well.
• Trim any excess fat from the leg of lamb, leaving a good fat cap on top. Score the fat cap in a diamond pattern until you just reach the meat. Apply the marinade paste all over the lamb, rub it in the scored parts. Place onto a plate, season with salt and pepper and cover*. Marinate refrigerated from 4 hours to overnight.
• Bring the leg of lamb to room temperature (about 30-40 minutes of the counter) and preheat a charcoal** grill to 325F. No need to scrape off the marinade paste - it will help form a flavorful crust.
• Place the leg of lamb directly onto the grill rack, over indirect heat, fat cap facing up. Turn it over/reposition it every 20 minutes or so to expose all surfaces to the indirect heat and the grill rack. Do so last for the side with the fat. Maintain a constant grill temperature and grill until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 135 F for medium-rare. If you'd like a section of the lamb leg to be cooked medium (as seen in the pictures) grill the meatiest side of the leg until the temperature there is 140-145F. *** Allow the lamb to rest onto a board for 10-15 minutes before you carve it. You may loosely tent it with foil to keep it warm.

GRILLED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Combine the yogurt, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a large non-reactive bowl. Add the lamb, making sure it is covered with marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator, covered, overnight or for up to 3 days.
• Bring the lamb to room temperature. Prepare a charcoal grill with hot coals. Scrape the marinade off the lamb, wipe the meat with paper towels, and season it generously with salt and pepper. Brush the grill with oil to keep the lamb from sticking, and grill on both sides until the internal temperature is 120 to 125 degrees for rare. This will take 40 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how hot the grill is.
• Remove the lamb to a cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Then slice and serve.

MOROCCAN-STYLE BARBECUED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Mix the butter and oil in a bowl, then stir in the spices, thyme, garlic, lemon zest and juice. Add the harissa, 1 tsp salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper, and mix well.
• Put the butterflied lamb (see step-by-step guide) in a large shallow dish and spoon over the marinade. Using your hands, rub it all over the meat. Cover loosely with foil or cling film and leave to marinate for at least 2 hrs, or overnight in the fridge.
• Light the barbecue, adding plenty of coals. When it is ready, add the lamb, fat-side down, and cook on a fairly high heat for 5 mins until well browned. Turn over and cook for another 5 mins to brown the other side.
• Move the coals to the sides of the barbecue to reduce the heat under the meat and cook more gently for 30-40 mins, turning occasionally. This timing will give you pink meat.
• Remove the meat to a large board and cover tightly with foil. Leave to rest for 10-15 mins.
• For the sauce, fold the harissa, a little salt and the coriander into the yogurt. Cut the lamb into thick slices and serve with the sauce and couscous, if you like.

BARBECUED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• If you plan to smoke the lamb, use the whole leg. For grilling use a boned leg, butterflied.
• Trim excess fat from lamb. Using a small knife, make narrow slits to a depth of about 1 inch in the meat and insert the slivers of garlic. Put lamb in a dish.
• Combine the remaining ingredients, pour over lamb and marinate it in the refrigerator 10 to 12 hours. Use the smaller amount of salt in the marinade if lamb is going to be grilled. The larger amount, 3 teaspoons, is necessary for smoking.
• Remove lamb from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Remove from the marinade. To smoke the lamb, cook in a smoking pit using mesquite at 240 degrees for about 2 1/2 hours. The butterflied lamb can be grilled over hot coals to the desired degree of doneness, about 30 minutes for medium rare.

BARBECUED MARINATED LAMB LEG

Steps:

• Combine garlic, paprika, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and oil in a large, shallow ceramic dish. Season both sides lamb with salt and pepper. Score lamb skin (this allows marinade to penetrate). Place lamb in marinade and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before cooking.
• Make green olive mayonnaise: Meanwhile, combine mayonnaise, olive, paprika and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Spray a cold barbecue plate or grill with oil. Preheat on high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high. Barbecue lamb, skin side down, for 10 minutes. Turn and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover lamb with barbecue hood (see tip). Barbecue for a further 15 minutes for medium or until cooked to your liking. Remove from heat. Cover loosely with foil. Set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes to rest. Slice lamb thinly across the grain.
• Serve lamb with green olive mayonnaise and jacket potatoes.
• Notes.
• Tip: If you don't have a barbecue with a hood, turn a large roasting pan or foil turkey roaster upside down and use as a hood over lamb.

BARBECUED GREEK LAMB WITH TZATZIKI

Steps:

• Mash the garlic to a paste with a pestle and mortar. Mix with the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, thyme and bay, and season with a little salt and plenty of pepper. Place the lamb in a large porcelain dish. Pour the marinade over the lamb and massage into the meat. Leave the lamb for at least 1 hr at room temperature, or longer in the fridge, but no longer than overnight or the meat will become too soft.
• To cook the lamb, fire up the barbecue, or heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. To cook on the barbecue, wait for the coals to turn ashen, then lay the lamb on the grill and cook for 15 mins on each side for meat that is pink, or 20 mins on each side for well done. To cook in the oven, place the lamb in a shallow roasting tin and roast for 30 mins for pink or 40 mins for well done, turning the lamb halfway through. Leave the meat to rest for 10 mins before carving.
• Meanwhile, make the tzatziki. Coarsely grate the cucumber, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and squeeze out all the liquid. Tip into a bowl with the yogurt, garlic and mint, and mix well. Carve the lamb into thick slices and serve with the tzatziki wrapped up in warm flatbreads.