Barbecued Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Mint
Designed for the grill, this leg of lamb is butterflied and marinated in balsamic and mint for easy grilling. Perfect for a summer cook-out or Easter dinner.
Yield
9 servingsPrep
20 minCook
20 minReady
40 minIngredients
| Amount | Measure | Ingredient | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ½ | pounds |
leg of lamb
boned, trimmed of fat |
*
|
| ¾ | cup |
balsamic vinegar
|
|
| ⅓ | cup |
mint jelly
|
* |
| ⅓ | cup |
mint leaves
minced fresh |
*
|
| 1 | x |
mint sprigs
fresh, optional |
* |
| 1 | x |
salt
|
*
|
| 1 | x |
black pepper
|
*
|
| 1 | x |
pita bread
or other small pocket bread, cut in half crosswise |
* |
Ingredients
| Amount | Measure | Ingredient | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 | kg |
leg of lamb
boned, trimmed of fat |
*
|
| 177 | ml |
balsamic vinegar
|
|
| 79 | ml |
mint jelly
|
* |
| 79 | ml |
mint leaves
minced fresh |
*
|
| 1 | x |
mint sprigs
fresh, optional |
* |
| 1 | x |
salt
|
*
|
| 1 | x |
black pepper
|
*
|
| 1 | x |
pita bread
or other small pocket bread, cut in half crosswise |
* |
Directions
Lay meat boned side up. Slash about halfway through the thickest portions, as needed, and pull the meat, patting cut edges down, to make the piece relatively even.
Place lamb in a 9x13 inch (23 x 33 cm) pan. In a 1½ quart (1 1/2 liters) pan over medium-high heat, stir vinegar with ⅓ cup mint jelly just until boiling. Stir in mint and pour evenly over lamb. Cover and chill for 2 hours or up to a day. Turn meat over occasionally.
On firegrate in a barbecue, with a lid, ignite 50 to 60 charcoal briquets. When briquets are dotted with ash, in about 30 minutes, spread them into a single layer; scatter 10 to 12 more briquets over coals. Set grill 5-6" above coals. Lift meat onto grill; reserve marinade. Put the lid on the barbecue and open vents.
Turn meat as needed to brown evenly; baste with marinade. Cook until the thickest part of the meat is done to your liking; for rare (140 degrees F on a thermometer) in the center of the thickest part, allow about 40 minutes total. The thinner sections of the lamb will be well done.
Transfer lamb to a platter and let rest 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with mint sprigs. Slice meat thin. Season to taste with mint jelly, salt, and pepper.
Eat with knife and fork or tuck into pocket bread.
