Shepherd's Roast with Drunken Sauce

This is what happens when a whole leg of lamb meets a Mexican cantina. A 5-pound leg turning on a spit over charcoal, basted with garlic-mustard butter, while a blender full of tequila, chili powder, serrano peppers, red wine, lime juice, and grated cheese transforms into the most outrageous sauce you’ll ever pour over roasted meat.

The sauce is called “drunken” for good reason. Eight tablespoons of tequila plus a splash of red wine give it a boozy backbone that cuts right through the richness of the lamb.

Serve it family style. Pour a little over each plate or let guests spoon it on themselves. Either way, this is a backyard feast nobody forgets.

Chef Tips

• Rotisserie or spit-roast the lamb for 1.5 to 2 hours depending on how you like it cooked
• Crush the garlic into the basting butter and add a pinch of dry mustard for extra complexity
• Blend the sauce until completely smooth, then strain the chili water back in for consistent heat
• Start with less chili and add more to taste; you can always make it hotter but you can’t dial it back