Marinated BBQ Boneless Leg Of Lamb

By Lucy Parissi

4.84 from 6 votes

, Updated Oct 13, 2022

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A Moroccan lamb marinade brings so much flavour to this BBQ boneless leg of lamb! Using butterflied lamb speeds up grilling time and the boneless meat is incredibly succulent and easy to carve. Cook on your barbecue or in the oven in case of rain! In Partnership with ‘Lamb – Try It Love It’

Take a look at my lamb recipes archive for more inspo

Summer = Barbecue, right? At least it does in theory, judging by the relentless rain we have been ‘enjoying’ lately. The good news is that this amazing butterflied leg of lamb recipe can be grilled on the BBQ or cooked in oven if the weather doesn’t play along. Keep an eye on your weather app just in case…

Grilling Lamb

Everyone is happy to barbecue lamb kebabs, burgers and chops right? Not many people cook larger cuts of lamb on the BBQ which is a real shame!

Certain big cuts of lamb are perfect for grilling and you will be surprised how quickly they cook and just how darned tasty they can be!

The best option is boneless leg of lamb, a.k.a butterflied leg of lamb. With the bone removed and the meat spread out flat it is IDEAL for barbecuing. Not only does it cook quickly, it can also feed several people at once.

I am so glad to partner with Lamb Try it, Love it campaign once more to bring you this BBQ lamb recipe just in time for SUNNY WEATHER. Well one can dream…

Simply the BEST Lamb Marinade

I love cooking lamb with Moroccan spices and this lamb marinade has harissa paste, minced garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and several aromatic spices like cumin, cinnamon and coriander its heart.

Harissa paste is a great partner for lamb. It has a long list of ingredients: peppers, garlic, coriander seeds, saffron, rose and olive oil. Thankfully it is widely available or you could try your hand at making your own.

How to barbecue butterflied leg of lamb

For this BBQ boneless leg of lamb we need to employ the two zone cooking technique – also known as ‘banked grilling’.

If you are using a charcoal barbecue, pile the coals on one side leaving the other side clear or very sparsely layered. That way you create two cooking zones, one for searing directly over the coals and a cooler side for cooking over indirect heat.

If you are using a gas barbecue you can control the heat more easily. Heat on high to start with and while searing then turn the heat down to 150-180°C (300-350°F) for indirect cooking.

Grilling Times and temperatures for lamb

The best way to determine whether your lamb is cooked to perfection is to rely on a digital thermometer. That way you can avoid overcooked dry meat and grill with confidence.

The grilling times for boneless leg of lamb over indirect heat can vary from 20-30 minutes (plus searing) for a small piece of 900g /2 pounds to 35-45 minutes for a larger joint of 2.5kg / 6 pounds. The thickness of the joint will also play a part, try to find a piece that’s flat and even.

The best way to serve lamb is rare or medium rare. Aim for the following internal temperatures depending on how you like it cooked: 62°C/ 145°F (medium rare), 71°C/160°F (medium), or 76°C/170 °F (well done).

BBQ Boneless Leg Of Lamb step by step

STEP 1. Prepare the marinade: add the ground cinnamon, cumin, coriander, turmeric and garlic granules into a large container. Stir the harissa paste, minced garlic, lemon juice / zest and olive oil to create a thick paste.

STEP 2. Add the lamb and rub the marinade all over. Cover and chill for 2-4 hours, or overnight if you prefer.

STEP 3. Prepare your barbecue for two zone cooking. Pile the coals on one side of the BBQ and light. Leave the other side empty of coals or add a very sparse layer of coals (once they are hot). Wait until the coals have turned ashy and any flames have died down before grilling.

STEP 4. Take the lamb out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes while your BBQ is heating up. Remove the lamb from the BBQ marinade and discard any leftover marinade. Season liberally with sea salt on both sides.

STEP 5. Place the lamb fat side down on the hot side BBQ and sear for 4 minutes. Have a spray bottle of water handy in case you get flare ups due to the fat dripping on the coals.

STEP 6. Flip the lamb over and sear on the other side.

STEP 7. Move the lamb to the cooler side of your barbecue, fat side down. Close the lid and cook for 20 minutes then check the temperature with a meat thermometer. The lamb is ready when it registers around 62°C (145°F) for medium rare on a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat (see also grilling times for lamb notes). If it’s not ready yet, continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes. For larger pieces of lamb you will need to cook for 35-40 minutes (after searing).

STEP 7. Rest the cooked lamb on a warm platter loosely covered with foil for 15 minutes.  Slice into thin slivers, pouring any meat juices over the slices. Serve immediately.

Oven Cooking Instructions

STEP 1. Preheat the oven to 180° (350°F).

STEP 2. Brush a griddle pan with oil, heat and sear the lamb for 4 minutes per side, pressing down so that it browns evenly. This may be quite smoky so open a window or turn an extractor fan on!

STEP 3. Transfer the lamb onto a rack set over a roasting tin. Cook for 30 minutes then check the temperature of your lamb. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes or longer, depending on size. Rest before serving.

TIPS FOR BEST BBQ LAMB

• Marinate your lamb for 2-4 hours in a covered container or even a large freezer bag. You could marinate the lamb overnight if you wish. Remove the lamb from the marinade before grilling and discard any leftovers.
• Bring the meat back to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before grilling. Meat that’s cold from the fridge will take longer to cook.
• Use a meat thermometer or digital thermometer for best results. Test the thickest part of the meat. Get a Thermapen for a 20% discount using code SGBAKES-20.
• Rest your lamb before carving: this is non-negotiable! Always allow meat to rest before slicing. Transfer to a (preferably warm) platter and tent with aluminium foil.
• Make sure your barbecue is HOT before cooking… but not too hot! Wait until the coals have turned ashy before cooking and any flames have died down.
• Keep a spray bottle of water handy in case of flare ups which happen when fat drips into the coals.

What to serve with Grilled Lamb 

You can serve your sliced lamb simply with some salad or any of the following side dishes.

• Dill rice with broad beans and tzatziki
• Greek spinach rice (Spanakorizo)
• Greek potato salad
• Lebanese Tabbouleh
• Greek Pasta Salad

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4.84 from 6 votes

Marinated BBQ Boneless Leg Of Lamb

By Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes

A Moroccan lamb marinade brings so much flavour to this BBQ boneless leg of lamb! Using butterflied lamb speeds up grilling time and the boneless meat is incredibly succulent and easy to carve. Cook on your barbecue or in the oven in case of rain!

The marinade is enough for two boneless legs of lamb, around 900g/2 pounds each, or one larger piece. A larger piece will require longer cooking time (see notes).

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Marinating time: 4 hours hours

Servings: 8

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Video

Equipment

• Digital thermometer, Barbecue

Ingredients

Lamb Marinade

• ▢ 6 tbsp olive oil
• ▢ 4 tbsp harissa paste
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves , minced
• ▢ 1 lemon , zest and juice
• ▢ 3 tsp ground coriander
• ▢ 3 tsp ground cumin
• ▢ 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1 tsp ground turmeric
• ▢ 1 tsp garlic granules

For the lamb

• ▢ 2 boneless legs of lamb (butterflied lamb) 900g | 2 pounds each
• ▢ sea salt to season
• ▢ Lemon wedges to serve

Instructions 

BBQ Boneless Leg Of Lamb

• Prepare the marinade: add the ground cinnamon, cumin, coriander, turmeric and garlic granules into a large container. Stir Add the lamb and rub the marinade all over. Cover and chill for 2-4 hours, or overnight if you prefer.
• Prepare your barbecue for two zone cooking. Pile the coals on one side of the BBQ and light. Leave the other side empty of coals or add a very sparse layer of coals (once they are hot). Wait until the coals have turned ashy and any flames have died down before grilling.
• Take the lamb out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes while your BBQ is heating up. Remove the lamb from the BBQ marinade and discard any leftover marinade. Season liberally with salt on both sides.
• Place the lamb fat side down on the hot side BBQ and sear for 4 minutes. Have a spray bottle of water handy in case you get flare ups due to the fat dripping on the coals.
• Flip the lamb over and sear on the other side.
• Now move the lamb to the cooler side of your barbecue, fat side down. Close the lid and cook for 20 minutes then check the temperature with a meat thermometer. The lamb is ready when it registers around 63°C (145°F) for medium rare on a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat (see also grilling times for lamb notes). If it's not ready yet continue cooking for a further 5-10 minutes.
• Rest the cooked lamb loosely covered with foil for 15 minutes. Slice into thin slivers, pouring any meat juices over the slices. Serve immediately.

Oven Cooking Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180° (350°F).
• Brush a griddle pan with oil and sear the lamb for 4 minutes per side, pressing down so that it browns evenly. This may be quite smoky so open a window or turn an extractor fan on!
• Transfer the lamb onto a rack set over a roasting tin. Cook for 30 minutes then check the temperature of your lamb. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes or longer, depending on size. Rest before serving.

Notes

Grilling Times and temperatures for lamb

• The best way to determine whether your lamb is cooked to perfection is to rely on a digital thermometer. That way you can avoid overcooked dry meat and grill with confidence.
• The grilling times for boneless leg of lamb over indirect heat can vary from 20-30 minutes (plus searing) for a small piece of 900g /2 pounds to 35-45 minutes for a larger joint of 2.5kg / 6 pounds. 
• The best way to serve lamb is rare or medium rare. Aim for the following internal temperatures depending on how you like it cooked: 62°C/ 145°F (medium rare), 71°C/160°F (medium), or 76°C/170 °F (well done).

2 zone cooking technique – ‘banked grilling’

• If you are using a charcoal barbecue, pile the coals on one side leaving the other side clear or very sparsely layered. That way you create two cooking zones, one for searing directly over the coals and the cooler side for cooking over indirect heat.
• If you are using a gas barbecue you can control the heat more easily. Heat on high to start with and while searing then turn the heat down to 150-180°C (300-350°F).

Nutrition

Calories: 742kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 62g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 533mg | Potassium: 582mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 75IU | Vitamin C: 10.1mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 4.4mg

Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.

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