Barbecued Mechoui Lamb Recipes

GRILLED LEG OF LAMB MECHOUI RECIPE

Steps:

• Prep. Have your butcher remove the bone from the leg and cut off about 6-8" of the shank. Freeze the shank for later use. If you get the leg bone still in, you can cut off the shank with a saw and remove the bone with a filleting knife. Remove the thick fat cap, the thin silverskin membrane, and any tendons, sinew, and cartilage while you take the meat apart. I try to remove muscles intact and cut them up into large chunks. Inevitably you will end up with chunks of varying sizes. Group them according to size so you can cook each size for a different lenght of time. Or you can freeze one group for later. Put the meat in a nonreactive pan and cover all surfaces with charmoula. Marinate up to 24 hours if possible. An hour will do, but longer is better.
• Fire up. Preheat the grill as hot as you can get it. Sprinkle the ras el hanout on the meat generously, but not thick.
• Cook. Grill on one side until it releases from the grate easily and gets good grill marks. Roll it onto the opposite side and take the temp of several pieces immediately. Small pieces will cook fast, and grills have hotspots, so test many pieces. Use this Food Temperature Guide to decide when to take it off. I usually pull it at 125-130°F (52-54°C) for rare meat.
• Serve. Serve with couscous and harissa sauce on the side.

MECHOUI - MOROCCAN STYLE BBQ

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.Trim of excess fat from lamb cut and discard. Sprinkly kosher salt over meat. Place in roasting pan. Combine remaining ingredients to make a rub. Massage the ribs with the spice mix. Cut half of the butter into chunks and rub on after the spices.
• Cover with aluminum foil, like a tent. Cook for 2 1/2 hours, basting ever 30-45 minutes.Increase temperature to 375 degrees, remove foil, baste and allow leg of lamb to cook for 3 hours, or until skin is golden brown. Continue to baste and add more butter each hour as needed. Remove from oven and serve!

MOROCCAN BARBECUED LAMB / MECHOUIE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the grill to medium-high.2. Open out the butterflied leg of lamb on your work surface so the inside is up and season with salt and pepper. Set aside while you prepare the spice butter.3. Combine the butter, garlic, mint leaves, coriander, paprika, and cumin in a food processor and process to a smooth paste.4. When ready to cook, spread about one third of the butter mixture over the inside of the lamb. Spread about 1 tablespoon more over the outside surface of the lamb. Arrange the lamb, outer side down, on the hot grate and grill, turning with tongs, until cooked to taste, 15 to 20 minutes per side. If the lamb starts to burn, lower the heat to medium (if gas) or move the lamb to a cooler section of the grill (if charcoal). Every 5 minutes, spread the top with some of the remaining spiced butter.5. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Melt the butter in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons vinegar and the mint and bring to a boil, then stir in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until richly flavored and slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and taste for seasoning, adding salt or vinegar as necessary.6. Transfer the lamb to a cutting board and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve the lamb with the sauce and tiny bowls of salt and cumin on the side for seasoning.Serves 8

MECHOUL - MARINATED LAMB BACKSTRAPS

Steps:

• Put lamb in a bowl, add rest of ingredients and, using hands, combine to cover all of lamb.
• Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Grill to medium rare on the bbq.
• Don't forget the minted yogurt.

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.

BARBECUED MECHOUI LAMB

Steps:

• Place the lamb in a non-aluminium container.
• Combine all the ingredients for the marinade and rub over the meat.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight or let stand for 2-3 hours at room temperature.
• Bring the lamb to room temperature, if refrigerated.
• Heat the oven.
• Remove the lamb from the marinade and sprinkle with salt.
• Cook the meat until rare, remove from the oven and allow a few minutes before carving.
• Sprinkle with a little chopped mint before serving.