Welcome!


This is a membership forum. Guests can view 5 pages for free. To participate, please join.

[ Pitmaster Club Information | Join Now | Login | Contact Us ]

Only 4 free page views remaining.

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

BBQ Leg of lamb

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    BBQ Leg of lamb

    Hi all, I grillad a leg of lamb yesterday that turned out amazing, so I thought I'd share. I'm a big fan of lamb. We never had it when I was a kid, as my mom never liked it, but I have yet to have a "bad lamb experience", so I keep cookin' away :-)
    I'm using a bone-in leg here, as I think the bone adds flavor. A (hind) leg as this one is a good quality cut, so no point in cooking it to high internal temp. You just want to bring it up to 145-150 deg F and let it rest.

    I have just started working in London (UK) for a couple of months, so I won't be able to grill that much, but I was at home this weekend, so there's no excuse for not firing up the grill.

    But first, some preppin'

    Dry brine the roast the day before. Then mix the juice from one lemon mixed with 0.4 cups honey, 1 tbsp Rosemary (crushed in a mortar) and 5 crushed garlic cloves. I cover the whole roast in the marinade and let it sit for a couple of hours.

    The lamb, straight from the butcher
    Click image for larger version

Name:	leg_of_lamb_2.jpg
Views:	368
Size:	75.8 KB
ID:	75309

    Trimmed and ready
    Click image for larger version

Name:	leg_of_lamb_3.jpg
Views:	271
Size:	66.2 KB
ID:	75308

    Right before grilling I use my marinade injector to inject the rest of the marinade in the meat. This gets the flavor inside the meat.

    Place the lamb in an aluminum pan
    Click image for larger version

Name:	leg_of_lamb_4.jpg
Views:	311
Size:	100.6 KB
ID:	75311

    This time I placed it in an aluminum pan on the grate, as I didn't want to loose any juices coming out.

    I fired up my grill for indirect heat, had it running at 280 deg F. Slightly higher than 225, but I figured I didn't need to run it that low n' slow for a very long time. The ham is a good cut.

    On my grill a 5 lb roast took approx 2.5 hours to bring up to 145 deg F. After that I removed the plate setter (I'm using a BGE) so I could turn up the heat for a good reverse sear. Then I let it rest wrapped in aluminum foil and a towel for a good thirty minutes.

    The roast getting a good reverse sear (just placed it on direct heat here)
    Click image for larger version

Name:	leg_of_lamb_6.jpg
Views:	334
Size:	95.4 KB
ID:	75310


    The roast, all done. Nice one:
    Click image for larger version

Name:	leg_of_lamb_7.jpg
Views:	327
Size:	119.3 KB
ID:	75313

    Sauce
    While the roast was resting I made the sauce. I poured the juices from the alu pan into a sauce pan and heated it up (if I had a gas stove I would have deglaced the alu pan with some red wine). I added 1 tbsp of liquid beef stock for flavor and saltiness (the juice is sweet from the honey), and thickened it with some corn starch. Bonus suggestion: add 0.5 cups red wine and reduce it for 20 minutes before thickening.

    Sauce-making
    Click image for larger version

Name:	leg_of_lamb_8.jpg
Views:	317
Size:	109.0 KB
ID:	75312

    Now cut the roast in thin slices and drizzle the sauce on top. I served the lamb with beetroots. You may think the meat to veg ratio on that plate is slightly skewed, but I went for seconds, thirds and fourths on that lamb! It was a superb meal.

    Lamb with beetroots
    Click image for larger version

Name:	leg_of_lamb_9.jpg
Views:	274
Size:	64.0 KB
ID:	75314

    #2
    Nice. We BBQ'd lamb/sheep growing up. Dad always had it cut up into steaks. He used a really simple marinade and fired away.

    Comment


      #3
      I've never done lamb. I keep meaning to. Nice post!

      Comment


      • Henrik
        Henrik commented
        Editing a comment
        Thanks Huskee! You should try it, lamb is really good. And it is a nice change to all my ribs and butts.

      • Huskee
        Huskee commented
        Editing a comment
        Henrik It's definitely on the to-do list. My smaller local grocery stores near me don't sell it and that's part of the problem. A larger big-box grocery store called Meijer about 30min away from me has it but I never think to get it when I'm there. One of these days...

      #4
      This looks fantastic. I just the other day noticed a new section at the local grocery store that had whole legs of lamb sitting wrapped in the freezer. I was thinking of buying one, but it looks different from the leg here. It was a whole leg, hoof and all. Does that affect things?

      Comment


      • Lost in China
        Lost in China commented
        Editing a comment
        Thanks! I'm going to try the leg-o-lamb whenever I get my new smoker. If I kept the hoof on, after it was done I could eat it like an ice cream cone.

      • Huskee
        Huskee commented
        Editing a comment
        Henrik I never cease to learn something from you Henrik!

      • Henrik
        Henrik commented
        Editing a comment
        Why thanks Huskee, that's quite a compliment.

      #5
      Looking good Henrik. Smoked leg of lamb is part of my regular rotation, but it's always boneless as that's what I get at Costco (for $4.99/lb) Slightly different flavor profile - a rub or paste heavier on herb-y flavors. Of course, I also love to grill a traditional frenched rack of lamb, but at 3 times the cost, it happens far less.

      Comment


        #6
        I finally went to the store again and got a photo of the legs of lamb. Didn't exactly have the hoof on, but pretty close. I assume I just want the butcher to amputate the lower extremity?

        Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_20150411_204207.jpg
Views:	287
Size:	93.5 KB
ID:	79051

        Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_20150411_204214.jpg
Views:	268
Size:	93.7 KB
ID:	79048

        Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_20150411_204221.jpg
Views:	288
Size:	80.8 KB
ID:	79049
        Attached Files

        Comment


        • Henrik
          Henrik commented
          Editing a comment
          I can't help but notice that the leg is sawed off straight, which is a shame. Separating it with a knife is easy, and you don't loose 1lb of meat, which seems to be the case in the pictures above. They muscles/cuts on the upper part of the rear leg are very good.

        #7
        The lower extremity is a ' lamb shank ' which lends itself very well to slow cooking. If cooked correctly the meat falls of the bone and is full of flavour - here in Australia it is a popular cut of lamb. There are plenty of recipes on the net. Most of them with red wine and tomato based sauce - i suggest you give it a go sure you won't regret it - getting your butcher to 'amputate it' is a good idea but don't throw it away - oh and don't forget to suck the marrow from the bone when you finish eating it - it's delicious....
        Last edited by Steve Vojtek; April 22, 2015, 05:28 AM.

        Comment


          #8
          Well spoken, Steve. I agree, get it cut off for bbq, but don't throw it away.

          Comment


          • Steve Vojtek
            Steve Vojtek commented
            Editing a comment
            Thank you ...

          #9
          Great thread Henrik. Brenda and I usually have lamb chops off the grill. I have never tried the leg of lamb but, after reading your thread I think we will try it.

          Comment


          • Henrik
            Henrik commented
            Editing a comment
            Thanks Barry. Yes, lamb chops is one of my favorites also, but I can recommend the whole leg. Should come out just great on one of your pellet smokers.

          #10
          Henrik
          Do you think your recipe will work on a leg of goat? Just bought one from Aldi here in Australia and looking at trying it out in my new Davy Crocket pellet smoker - as i understand it lamb and goat are similar in the way they're cooked - low and slow - i have only done goat leg in my slow cooker before but i love smoke flavour.Did you use smoke and what kind?

          Comment


          • Henrik
            Henrik commented
            Editing a comment
            Yes, Steve, it will work. They are similar in ways of cooking, but different in flavor. I would say lamb is 'milder' in a sense than goat. Anyway, cook it just the same, and you should be good. I didn't use any smoke wood this time (more than the flavor I got from the hardwood charcoal, which is oak and hickory). I would go with a softer wood the first time, like alder, apple, plum or pecan, depending on what you have and what you like.

          #11
          Yes i have apple pellets and my Davy Crockett ( i only got it yesterday ) only imparts mild smoke flavour ( only done S&G chicken wings with cherry pellets today and loved it ) I'm not a big fan of really heavy smoke flavour - the reason i bought the pellet grill - they burn very efficiently and 'clean' . I'll give it a go and hope i get it right - i may be a newbie to bbq'ing American style but my cooking experience should steer me right - thank you for your reply .. much appreciated

          Comment


          • Henrik
            Henrik commented
            Editing a comment
            Sweet! Yup, pellets are the way to go if you like mild smoke. and yes, cooking experience always helps, so you should be good. Just remember to take pictures and share with us!

          #12
          I'll be happy to post pics - been drooling over the pics posted here by other pitmasters for months - time for payback ... lol.

          Comment


            #13
            Think a boneless leg from Costco would do just as well, tied up of course?

            Comment


              #14
              Originally posted by tomgyakima View Post
              Think a boneless leg from Costco would do just as well, tied up of course?

              ​Welcome tomgyakima! We're glad you're here posting. Not sure how long you may have been lurking since you've been around since June

              A boneless leg from Costco should work well.

              Comment


                #15
                Click image for larger version

Name:	B1B96C04-7915-4483-BB54-C054062D3873.jpeg
Views:	280
Size:	126.0 KB
ID:	566898 Inspired by Henrik’s post, and had a leg of lamb in the freezer. Here it is in the smoker along with some trout.

                Comment

                Announcement

                Collapse
                No announcement yet.
                Working...
                X
                false
                0
                Guest
                Guest
                500
                ["pitmaster-my-membership","login","join-pitmaster","lostpw","reset-password","special-offers","help","nojs","meat-ups","gifts","authaau-alpha","ebooklogin-start","alpha","start"]
                false
                false
                {"count":0,"link":"/forum/announcements/","debug":""}
                Yes
                ["\/forum\/free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-downloads","\/forum\/free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-downloads\/1157845-paid-members-download-your-6-deep-dive-guide-ebooks-for-free-here","\/forum\/the-pitcast","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/bbq-news-magazine-2019-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/bbq-news-magazine-2020-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/bbq-news-magazine-2021-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/bbq-news-magazine-2022-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/current-2023-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/current-2024-issues","\/forum\/free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-downloads\/1165909-trial-members-download-your-free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-here"]
                /forum/free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-downloads/1165909-trial-members-download-your-free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-here