Butterfly Lamb with Rosemary
Submitted by smash
Butterflied leg of lamb marinated with olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary, bay leaf and black pepper, then grilled or broiled until charred outside and pink within. A six-pound centrepiece for Easter or summer cookouts.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
A butterflied leg of lamb is the cut for cooks who want roast-lamb flavour with grill-steak speed. Once the bone comes out and the meat opens flat, it cooks in under 40 minutes with even browning across the whole surface instead of the long, slow roast a bone-in leg requires.
The marinade is built for restraint, not concealment. Olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary, a bay leaf, and cracked black pepper. No salt in the marinade by design: salt draws moisture out and into the marinade rather than into the meat over a short two-hour rest. Season with salt right before it hits the heat.
Two hours unrefrigerated, in a cool spot, is the original technique. The meat tempers as it marinates, which means more even cooking on the grill. If your kitchen runs warm, do the marinade in the fridge for four hours instead.
Pro Tips
- Get the butcher to butterfly the leg if you’re not confident with the knife. Done well, the meat lies in an even slab; done poorly, it cooks unevenly with raw thick spots.
- Rub the marinade in aggressively. Get it into every fold and crevice of the meat so the rosemary and pepper season the surface fully.
- The 20-minute foil rest after grilling is non-skippable. Slicing a hot lamb leg releases all the juice onto the cutting board.
- Slice across the grain in thin pieces. Lamb leg has visible muscle direction; cutting with the grain leaves chewy slices.
Variations
- Add four crushed garlic cloves and a tablespoon of Dijon mustard to the marinade for a more pronounced French-style profile.
- Swap the rosemary for fresh oregano and add a splash of red wine for a Greek-leaning marinade.
- Serve sliced over a Greek salad or with a yogurt-mint sauce for a fresh, herbaceous finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Place the lamb in a shallow pan.
Combine the oil, lemon juice, rosemary, pepper and bay leaf.
Blend well and rub the mixture all over the lamb.
Cover and let stand for 2 hours or longer, unrefrigerated but in a cool place.
Turn the meat occasionally.
Prepare a charcoal fire or preheat the broiler.
Place the lamb on the fire or under the broiler.
Grill or broil the meat to the desired degree of doneness.
Turn the meat several times as it cooks.
Cooking time will depend on the distance of the meat from the heat, the intensity of the heat and whether the grill is covered.
It should vary from about 20 minutes for rare meat to 40 minutes for medium well done.
Let stand for 20 minutes covered with foil.
Serve sliced.
Comments
