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grilled leg of lamb recipe
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5 from 4 votes

Spiced Leg of Lamb with Herb Butter

This grilled leg of lamb gives you plenty of flavor, lots of delicious crust and crispy, garlicky bits. Easy to make, and enough to satisfy huge groups, this recipe will be a hit!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Marinating time2 hours
Total Time5 hours
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: BBQ
Author: Ben Isham-Smith

Ingredients

Leg of Lamb

  • 1 boneless leg of lamb butterflied and trimmed of excess fat

Herb Butter

  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 2 large garlic cloves minced
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper freshly ground

Marinade

  • ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup fresh Italian parsley leaves finely chopped
  • ⅓ cup lemon juice
  • 1½ tbsp kosher salt
  • 1½ tbsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp ground cardamom
  • 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 1½ tbsp ground cumin
  • 1½ tbsp ground ginger
  • 1½ tbsp ground turmeric

Instructions

  • Combine the butter ingredients. Set aside.
  • Whisk the marinade ingredients. Reserve and set aside one-half of the marinade to use for basting the lamb on the grill. Pour the remaining marinade into a large, resealable plastic bag.
  • Place the lamb inside the bag, press the air out, and seal tightly. Turn the bag to distribute the marinade, place in a bowl, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours, turning occasionally.
  • Remove the lamb from the bag and discard the marinade. Allow the lamb to stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before grilling.
  • Prepare the grill for direct and indirect cooking over medium heat (350° to 450°F).
  • Grill the lamb, fat side down, over direct medium heat, with the lid closed, until nicely marked, 10 to 12 minutes.
  • Turn the lamb over and grill for 5 minutes more, basting the lamb with the reserved marinade.
  • Then move the lamb over indirect medium heat and grill, fat side up, with the lid closed, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the lamb registers 125° to 130°F for medium rare, 20 to 30 minutes more, basting occasionally with the reserved marinade. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Cut the lamb across the grain into thin slices. Melt the herb butter, and then drizzle it over the lamb. Serve right away.