Smoked Leg of Lamb Recipe

Servings
8
Prep
20m
Cook
3h
Difficulty
Easy

This Smoked Leg of Lamb, brushed with a tasty garlic and herb paste, is not only delicious, it’s surprisingly easy to prepare. Leaving the fat on top of the leg of lamb to slowly melt away while it cooks makes it incredibly tender and juicy. And most important, smoking it with a mild, fruity wood accentuates the natural taste of the meat without overpowering it.

Typically available in two cuts, the lower shank end and the upper, fattier sirloin end. The upper shank cooks more evenly and is easier to carve.

Ingredients

Leg of Lamb

2.2 – 3 kg leg of lamb, bone-in
1 handful cherry or apple wood chunks

Garlic and Herb Paste

1 cup olive oil
6 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup Dijon mustard
10 garlic cloves
12 rosemary sprigs
12 thyme sprigs
4 shallots
½ cup salt
2 tablespoons black pepper

Preparation

  1. Preheat your smoker to 120°C and toss a few wood chunks onto hot coals for smoking.
  2. In a food processor, combine olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, rosemary, thyme, shallots, salt and pepper. Blend until it forms a semi-liquid paste.
  3. Brush the garlic and herb mixture onto the leg of lamb to cover completely.
  4. Place the lamb in your smoker. Cook until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 65°C on an instant read thermometer, about 2 to 3 hours.
    HOT TIP – If you choose to smoke a boneless leg of lamb, unlike most meats, it will take longer to cook than a bone-in leg.
  5. Remove the leg of lamb from smoker and loosely cover with aluminium foil. Rest the meat for 30 minutes before slicing.

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