When someone mentions cooking lamb I cannot help but to be transported to the first time I had lamb with a school friend on a spring day. A Woolly Middle Eastern Man, his father, roasting a whole lamb speared on a spit over an open flame on his back lawn, as a large loving family waited eagerly to eat, it’s an image of awesomeness its something I strive to recreate when cooking for those around me.
This is an intimidating image, but it shouldn’t be. Lamb is easy to prepare simply dress it with some fresh herbs and a bit of smoke, and you will have a meal to remember.
Instructions:
- 3 cloves of garlic
- salt
- pepper
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 shallot (minced)
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup fresh mint (minced)
- 1 tbsp. fresh thyme (minced)
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. ground coriander
- 1 leg of lamb
Pour the olive oil into a small sauce pan, and heat over medium heat. Smash the garlic into a paste, mince the shallot, mint, and thyme, zest and juice the lemon. When oil is heated add the garlic, shallot, mint, thyme, zest, juice, cumin, and coriander to the oil. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the grill for indirect grilling and generously season the lamb with salt and pepper. Next brush the lamb liberally with the oil. Grill over indirect heat, and brushing occasionally for a good while, at least 1:30 with my grill which usually maintains a temperature of 350F with a piece of meat this large.
Use an instant read thermometer to gauge your doneness that you prefer, we like medium rare.
- Extra Rare = 115-120F
- Rare = 125-130F
- Medium Rare = 130-140F
- Medium = 140-150F
- Medium Well = 150-155F
- Well Done = 160-212F
Remember food is only good for you if you can eat it!
-Nate
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