BBQ Leg of Lamb

If the weather is fine, what nicer meal could you have than a BBQ, and in the late Spring, early Summer, Leg of Lamb is just coming into its own, so why not combine the two - it is a lot easier than you might think, but is a lot easier if you have a gas BBQ than one that is charcoal-based, which can be tricky. You definitely need a BBQ that has a lid for this one as well.

So, what do you need? Well, obviously the leg of lamb - you should get your butcher (I would suggest Ray or Anthony at the market, as I suspect that Jim Ryan himself mightnt have the patience to do it!) to bone the leg of lamb, and to butterfly it (this means to even out the thickness of the meat as much as possible). You can do this yourself, if you feel adventurous!

Marinade ingredients:

A handful of herbs - such as thyme, oregano, or rosemary, or a combination of all three (soft herbs dont work as well as they burn too easily), chopped

Three or four cloves of garlic

3 - 4 tbs of good olive oil

juice of half a lemon or a desert-spoon of balsamic vinegar.

Salt and pepper.

Method:

Mix all the marinade ingredients together and rub over the meat. Place in a cool place and leave for at least an hour, or up to a day.

Heat the BBQ - if it has a temperature gauge on the lid, look to heat it to about 180 degrees centigrade.

Place the meat onto the BBQ and cook for about 8-10 minutes. Turn and do the same on the other side. This will give you rare lamb. Leave for a further two minutes on each side for medium lamb. Leave for at least 10 minutes before carving to allow the meat to relax again.

Serve with ztaziki, bbqed vegetables (aubergine is great with the lamb), a fresh green salad, some roast potatoes and some lovely red wine - we would suggest Masciarelli Classic Montepulciano, or Nespolino. Ask us more about them at the market!