Smoked Leg of Lamb
A fork-tender smoked leg of lamb with a choice of Mediterranean herb or Texas-style salt-and-pepper seasoning. Slow-smoked at 225F with fruit wood for a rosy, juicy centerpiece roast.
Equipment
- Smoker offset, pellet grill, or kamado style
- Leave-in meat thermometer instant-read also helpful for spot checks
- Sharp carving knife long blade for clean slices
- Large cutting board with juice groove preferred
- Wood chunks cherry, apple, or pecan
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 whole leg of lamb 5-7 lb boneless or 7-9 lb bone-in
Mediterranean Herb Seasoning (Option A)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons fresh rosemary finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly cracked
Texas-Style Seasoning (Option B)
- 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons coarse black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Score the fat cap of the lamb leg in a crosshatch pattern about 1/4-inch deep. Remove any silver skin from the exposed meat side.
- Apply your chosen seasoning. For Mediterranean: combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper into a paste and rub all over the lamb. For Texas-style: apply coarse salt, pepper, and garlic powder generously. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Remove the lamb from the refrigerator 60-90 minutes before smoking to let it come to room temperature.
- Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees F. Add 2-3 fist-sized cherry, apple, or pecan wood chunks.
- Insert a leave-in meat thermometer probe into the thickest part of the lamb, avoiding the bone. Place the lamb fat-cap up on the smoker grate.
- Smoke the lamb with the lid closed for approximately 3-4 hours (boneless) or 3.5-4.5 hours (bone-in), until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees F for medium-rare or 140 degrees F for medium.
- Optional reverse sear: remove the lamb and tent with foil. Increase smoker or grill temperature to 450-500 degrees F. Return the lamb for 10-15 minutes over indirect heat to develop a browned crust.
- Rest the smoked leg of lamb for 15-20 minutes before carving. Slice against the grain in 1/2-inch slices. For bone-in, slice parallel to the bone to remove sections, then cut perpendicular to the grain.
Notes
Wood selection: Cherry, apple, and pecan are the best choices for lamb. Avoid mesquite, which overpowers the meat. Hickory is acceptable in small amounts blended with fruit wood.
Doneness: Medium-rare (135F after resting) is the recommended doneness for smoked lamb. Going above 145F dries out the meat.
Storage: Leftover smoked lamb keeps 3-4 days refrigerated in an airtight container. Freeze tightly wrapped portions for up to 3 months. Reheat in a 275F oven with a splash of broth.