Grilled Leg of Lamb with Tzatziki Sauce
Grilled Leg of Lamb With Tzatziki Sauce
Embrace holiday tradition while adding a twist with slow-grilling a bone-in leg of lamb to tender, juicy perfection on a Signature Series™ Amplifire™ Gas Grill. Prepare the lamb with tons of fresh herbs and garlic, as well as a sweet and tangy combination of citrus. This marinade bursts with rosemary, mint, lemon/orange zest and juice, garlic for days, a splash of white wine, extra-virgin olive oil, a bit of brown sugar, a hint of cumin and plenty of salt and pepper.
Ingredients
For the Lamb
- 5-6 pounds, bone-in leg of lamb, frenched and trimmed
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
For the Marinade
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup minced fresh rosemary
- 1/4 minced fresh mint
- 1 orange, zest and juice
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 8-10 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For the Tzatziki Sauce
- 1/2 large English cucumber, grated
- 1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced
Directions
1
Combine all marinade ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
2
Fat side up, use a sharp knife to create 1 inch long, 1/2 inch deep cuts every 2 inches or so.
Hot Tip
When you preparing a large roast of any kind, making a few cuts in the top of the meat allows the marinade to infuse nicely.
3
Place the lamb in a shallow casserole dish, and cover with marinade. Use your hands to massage the garlic and herbs into the meat, making sure to tuck some down inside the cuts.
4
Cover and let marinate at least 4 hours, up to overnight.
5
For the dipping sauce, drain all of the water you can from the grated cucumber by squeezing it tightly using cheesecloth or a clean dishtowel.
6
Combine the yogurt, garlic, oil, vinegar and salt in a large bowl. Add the cucumber and dill. Stir to combine and set aside. This can be done the day before and kept in the refrigerator.
7
Take lamb out of refrigerator 1 hour prior to cooking to come to room temperature. Melt a stick of unsalted butter in a small saucepan. Pour marinade from lamb into the saucepan and simmer on low. You will use this butter/marinade mixture to baste the lamb as often as you turn it.
8
Turn all of the burners of your to high heat for 15 minutes. After that, turn the middle burner(s) off and lower the heat of the outer burners to medium.
9
Place lamb, fat-side up, in the middle of the grill over the indirect heat. Grill covered for approximately 1 hour, rotating and basting every 15 minutes or so. Start checking temperature at 45 minutes, and cook until an internal thermometer reaches 135°F to 140°F. This is for medium-rare to medium. Continue to cook if you desire more doneness.
Hot Tip
Mix your remaining marinade with a stick of melted butter, using it to baste the meat while it cooks.
10
Serve with tzatziki sauce.
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