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If you own a gas grill, which makes it easy to adjust the temperature, why don't you give this combination grilling and roasting recipe, on an outdoor grill a try? My Weber Genesis grill, with three adjustable burners, makes regulating the heat easy. Of course if you're not at all adventurous, you can still roast the lamb in your indoor oven. Special
tools: Gas grill, with at least 2 burners, roasting pan
and rack
1
Bone-in leg of lamb, about six pounds At least 24 hours before you plan to light the grill, place hickory chips in a bucket of water and allow them to soak. The more waterlogged they are, the more smoke they'll produce and the longer they'll last.
Left: The Weber is fired up and beginning to smoke. Right: I'm in the process of searing the leg of lamb. Red potatoes are wrapped in aluminum foil on the roasting rack behind the lamb. At least 12 hours, 24 hours would be better, before you plan to light the grill, rub lamb with All-purpose Barbecue Rub. Place lamb in 2-gallon freezer bag and pour in 12-oz of Basque-style Barbecue Marinade. Squeeze air out of bag and seal tightly, and allow to marinate overnight in refrigerator. Place soaked woodchips in outdoor grill's smoke box and pre-heat grill to 400 degrees. Clean grill surface with grill tool and spray surface with non-stick spray, being careful to avoid flare-ups. Remove lamb from refrigerator, still in plastic bag, and allow to rest for about 30 minutes, in order to bring it closer to room temperature. When grill has reached operating temperature, transfer lamb to grill surface. Over high heat, sear meaty side of roast for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until grill marks appear. Do not sear the fatty side, as the fat will burn and fat is used to naturally baste the meat as it is roasting. Remove lamb from grill and reserve.
Left: The lamb has been seared and now is placed in the roasting pan to roast. Right: I proudly show off my work of art. Turn off center burner of grill, so lamb will be cooked over indirect heat. Adjust heat to 400 degrees. Place lamb in a roasting pan, on a roasting rack, fat side up. The idea is to allow the lamb not to cook in its juice, as a) the lamb will taste better, b) it's healthier, and c) the juices will be used to make gravy. If you want, you can baste lamb with a small amount of marinade. Loosely cover lamb, and place roasting pan in the center of the grill, over indirect heat. Insert meat thermometer into the thickest part of the roast, taking care not to touch the bone. Roast lamb at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees and roast for an additional 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Bone-in leg of lamb should be roasted at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes a pound. After cooking about a half hour, begin checking the meat thermometer, as the thickest part of the roast should be about 130 to 135 degrees. Replenish hickory chips as needed in implant a smoky flavor. Baste lamb with marinade every 15 minutes or so.
Left: We trimmed the meat from the bone. Be sure to save the bone for soup or stock. Right: Delicious roasted leg of lamb. Remove roast from grill, and allow lamb to rest 15 minutes before carving. While roast is resting, use a spatula to scrape up the drippings from the roasting pan, to be used to make lamb gravy; click on this link for my recipe for lamb gravy, which compliments this dish. Slice the lamb against the grain in 1/2" slices. Serve with baked potatoes, baked on your grill, lamb gravy, and summer squash. After spending around $4.00 a pound for a leg of lamb, you want to make sure that you roast it correctly. A gas grill with adjustable burners is an absolute necessity, although with a little ingenuity, you could probably roast it on any grill, or you could barbecue it in a smoker or in a pit. The adjustable gas grill just makes the whole operation easier.
Photo: My dinner of baked summer squash, baked red potatoes, and grilled/roasted leg of lamb. Keep in mind that lamb should never be cooked until well done, as it will be very dry.
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