Lamb is a meat of religious signficance and tradition, used by the Jewish people as well as Christians. In the Jewish religion it became most traditional as the meat of preference to be eaten during Passover. To the Christian, Jesus is seen as the “Lamb of God” the sacrificial lamb offered to redeem the sins of man and save man from an eternity of life in sin.
This dish makes a magnificent Easter Celebration Entree.
Ingredients:
1 Leg of Lamb between 6 to 10 pounds (get your butcher to “French it for you)2 cups of lemon juice
Marinade:
1 cup of orange juice
2 cups of pure olive oil
2 cups of red wine (optional)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
6-8 cloves of garlic (smashed)
1 onion (peeled and quartered)
1 tablespoon each: oregano, basil, rosemary, mint leaves
1 tablespoon of black pepper corns
1 tablespoon of kosher salt (or to taste)
2 – 1 inch cubes of frozen garlic butter to be added just prior to cooking.
Place your leg of lamb into an aluminium tray large enough and deep enough to hold the lamb as well as all of the marinade mix. Add your marinade mix in. Cover the tray and refrigerate over night or longer. As with any marinade,the longer you allow the meat to marinade, the more intense the flavor becomes.
Marinade instructions:
Pre-heat your barbecue grill to 325 degrees F.
Cooking Preparations:
Cooking time: 15 to 20 minutes per pound
Meat Thermometer temperature should register between 135 to 140 degrees F.
Here’s a special little trick that helps add flavour and keep the moist tender and juicy.
Peirce the leg from the meaty end, as near the bone as possible and push the knife as deep as possible creating a slit in the meat from one end to the other. Get your frozen cubes of garlic butter and stuff them into that slit you made with your knife.
Remove the garlic from the marinade and push it also inside that slit.
Rub the outside of your lamb leg with some salted butter and season your leg with 1 teaspoon each of kosher salt, ground black pepper, oregano and rosemary.
Place your leg onto your preheated grill and brush on a coating of the marinade. Place your meat thermometer into the meaty end keeping it away from the bone. Keep the marinade handy and use it to baste the lamb about every half an hour or so.
Lamb should be served Medium rare which means that the meat should appear just a little pinkish.
Your lamb is done when the inside temperature is between 135 to 140 degrees F.
In the last hour of cooking, you might wish to grill some halved carrots, or some ears of corn or any other veggie that you might wish to serve along with the lamb.
Once your meat has reached the desired temperature,remove it from the grill, and let it rest at least 5-10 minutes. permitting all of the natural juices to rush back into the meat.
Check your veggies to see if they are done and ready, then place your lamb leg onto a serving platter and surround the lamb with your veggies.
You’re ready to serve and enjoy.