Tips to Master a Smoked Leg of Lamb

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Give your taste buds a treat with this mouth-watering Smoked Leg of Lamb! Tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor. Your next family BBQ just got elevated.

I’ve smoked ribs.  And I’ve smoked brisket.  I’ve even smoked a chicken, shrimp, and eggs.  The shrimp and eggs were together and so totally delicious.  At some point I want to smoke some burgers.  Maybe some steaks, and of course some mac and cheese.  Because that sounds so delicious.

I decided to change our tradition and instead of having ham for Easter, we have lamb.  Usually Lidl has boneless leg of lamb on sale throughout the year and I’ve stashed a few in the freezer.  For some reason I can’t resist buying them when they’re on sale.  Which is so ironic because I didn’t like lamb for most of my life.  It wasn’t until I met the hubs that he changed my mind.

Boneless Versus Bone-In: Which is Better?

The choice largely depends on your preference.  But there are some things to consider when making your choice.  Bone-in lamb retains more flavor and moisture from the marrow in the bone.  But it is a larger roast to smoke than a boneless leg of lamb.  So, it will take longer to smoke than it’s boneless counterpart.

Boneless lamb is easier to carve and usually come rolled and “tied” with an elastic netting. The boneless leg allows for more uniform cooking.  The meat is a relatively even thickness unlike the bone-in version.  Finally, a boneless leg of lamb also gives you the opportunity to stuff the lamb.  I stuff mine with herbs, spices, garlic, roasted red peppers or sun-dried tomatoes. 

Can you smoke meat without a smoker?

Yes, you can.  I smoked a brisket on a gas grill.  You can use some wood chips and foil pans or you can use a smoker box if you have one.  You can use a charcoal grill with indirect heat. The hardest part is maintaining the temperature.  This is easier to do with a gas grill.  It just requires putting the wood in a foil pan over a burner on high.  Then you put the meat on the other side over a medium to low heat.  Check the chips every 30 to 45 minutes to make sure they’re still smoking.  If not, add some more.

For a charcoal grill you need to create a two-zone fire.  Pile the coals on one side of the grill and place a drip pan filled with water on the other side.  The water helps regulate the temperature and adds moisture. Finally put the wood chips on the coals and place the lamb over the drip pan. Make sure to keep the lid closed as much as possible to maintain the smoke.

I’ve had some smoker bags for the oven, but I haven’t seen those in a while.  If you want to try smoking them in the oven, you’ll need to the wood chips in a foil lined roasting pan on the bottom of the oven.  Then you put a rack as close to on top of the pan as possible and then put the lamb on the rack over the pan filled and put a foil tent on top of the meat.  Set the oven to a lower temperature and baste regularly to keep the meat moist.

Choosing the Right Wood

If you didn’t know different woods impart different flavors, ranging from mild and sweet to strong and earthy.  Since lamb is a bold flavored meat, I opted for mesquite with a little apple wood for sweetness.  That’s what I read in the few recipes I checked.  Now, as much as I enjoyed the flavor, next time I might try hickory or oak with maybe some cherry wood chips.  The lighter, sweeter woods would complement the lamb.

Preparing the leg of lamb for smoking

Since this is a boneless leg of lamb, I took the opportunity to marinate mine for additional flavor.  I thought about unrolling it and putting some garlic and rosemary in the center, but I didn’t have the energy to try to get it back in the netting and I don’t have any twine.  I can’t seem to find it at the store.  Don’t people truss meat anymore? 

Anyway, I made a simple marinade with olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt, and balsamic vinegar. I thought about making a rub for the leg of lamb, but with the netting any crust that would form would just come off when the netting came off.  Again, if I had twine I would have made a rub.

Tips for smoking meat

First, the key to successful smoking is to maintain a consistent temperature.  Luckily, I have a smoker and can set the temperature, but it does fluctuate when I refill the chip box.  I made sure to keep the temperature between 225°F (107°C) and 250°F (121°C). Cooking the meat at a lower temperature gives the smoke time to penetrate the meat while letting the eat cook low and slow to retain moisture and flavor.

Keep an eye on the meat.  As the lamb smokes, it’s important to keep an eye on the internal temperature.  You don’t want to overcook the meat.  Make sure to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature.  I aimed for 130 F because the roast will continue to cook as it rests.  The final temperature was 145 F, which is medium, after resting for 15 to 20 minutes.

It’s only common sense because of the first tip but avoid opening the grill or oven too often.  This causes temperature fluctuations which extends the cooking time. This is why I rely on the thermometer and visual cues to gauge the progress. I like those thermometers you can leave in that either has an app for your phone or a cable that puts the display on the outside of the grill.  The lamb should develop a dark crust on the outside and be around the 130 F to 140 F depending on how you like your lamb cooked.

Let it rest!  This is crucial.  I wrap everything I smoke in foil and let it rest for about 20 to 30 minutes or more depending on the cut of meat.  I let the brisket rest for almost an hour.  This lets the juices redistribute and allows the meat to continue to cook to the internal temperature you’re looking for.  Besides, you don’t want to cut into the meat too soon because all that juicy goodness in the middle will just run out onto your cutting board.  Not idea.

How to serve your smoked leg of lamb

Carefully remove the netting or twine and place it on a cutting board.  Carefully slice the lamb into thin slices and arrange on a platter or keep it rustic and leave it on the cutting board.  You can serve it with a delicious chimichurri or gremolata.  Sometimes I whip up a horseradish sauce using a little sour cream, mayonnaise, prepared horseradish, salt and pepper.  Whisk together and serve it on the side.

Since we had ours for Easter dinner, I served ours with garlic pepper green bean casserole and some au gratin potatoes.  Both convenience foods because I haven’t really had great success with homemade au gratin or scalloped potatoes.  But you can try serving it with your choice of sides such as roasted vegetables like radishes, potatoes, or a fresh salad. 

The lamb had such a great flavor, I wanted to make sure to have some for lunch the next day.  So, as you can see, I made a killer sandwich with thin slices of the lamb.  Not once but twice that week!  It was that good.  A little mayo and prepared horseradish, some Monterey jack cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce.  I was the envy of the office lunch both days.

Welcome to #BBQWeek where we celebrate all things barbecue related! From slow cooked pulled pork to grilled chicken, salsa and sides, and delicious pies there’s a recipe that’s perfect for your summer cookout parties.

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