Dad’s Grilled Smoked Leg of Lamb
When we were kids, leg of lamb was always a special occasion meal, especially at Easter. Living in California meant we were able to cook on the outdoor grill year-round. That being said, it was only natural that Dad would throw the annual Easter lamb on the grill while us kids would search the backyard for hidden Easter eggs.
Our Dad has always been a master griller, so it’s no surprise that over the years he perfected this recipe for the ultimate grilled, lightly smoked leg of lamb that our family still looks forward to devouring each Easter. With this springtime holiday just around the corner, we thought we’d share the recipe with you. Dad is a charcoal-only man and, as a result, we are charcoal-only girls. We strongly encourage you to use a charcoal grill for this recipe for the flavor it imparts. Be sure to get a bone in leg of lamb a little larger than you need for your holiday supper, as the leftovers are great in lamb sandwiches with flat bread and tzatziki sauce.
Be sure to completely coat the lamb with the sauce.
Keep the grill temperature between 300-325 degrees.
Rest off the grill for at least 15 minutes.
Carve and enjoy!
Dad’s Grilled Smoked Leg of Lamb
- 6-8 pound bone in leg of lamb
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 2 TBS olive oil
- Grated rind of 2 lemons
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 2 sprigs of fresh mint
- 4 tsp combined minced fresh herbs (thyme, tarragon, rosemary, marjoram)
- 3 TBS brown sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
You will also need:
- Charcoal
- Wood chips (soaked in water for at least 30 minutes)
- Heavy foil
Prepare the barbecue sauce as follows:
Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute 2 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer – allow to simmer for 3 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly. Using a small sharp knife, cut small slits over the surface of the lamb. Generously brush lamb on all sides with the sauce to coat thoroughly, allowing the onion, garlic and herbs to adhere to the meat. Let the lamb stand at room temperature for an hour or longer, brushing a couple more times.
Grill/Smoke the Lamb:
Prepare a charcoal grill for indirect cooking. Form a pan of double thick foil a little bit larger than the lamb, turning up the edges about 1” all around and securing the corners. Make two additional small foil pans measuring about 4” x 6” each to be used for the wood chips – set aside until needed. When the fire is ready, place the large foil pan below the rack where the lamb will sit to catch the drippings. The charcoal will be on either side of the pan. Lightly oil the grill rack and transfer lamb to sit above foil pan. Close the lid and adjust the vents to keep the coals burning so that the temperature inside the grill is between 300-325. Check every 20-30 minutes, adding more coals as needed and baste regularly with remaining sauce. One hour before roasting is finished, throw damp wood chips (hickory or apple work well here) into the two small foil pans and place each pan directly on the hot coals. Check the fire periodically during this final hour to be sure you are still getting smoke from the chips – more damp wood chips may need to be added. Total cooking time will be 3-3 ½ hours depending upon the size or your roast and temperature desired. We recommend cooking to 145 for medium rare. When desired temperature is reached, remove roast to a cutting board and loosely tent with foil. Allow to rest about 15 minutes before carving. If desired, the drippings in the foil pan can be added to any remaining sauce. Use a small amount of boiling water to dissolve any browned drippings. Reheat to a simmer and serve with the lamb.
A 6-pound leg of lamb serves 6 people generously.