Hey all,
Went through my local Kroger store tonight and found a "manager's special" leg of lamb marked down from $40 to $11. It was in date, but expires in a couple of days. I brought it home and put it in the freezer.
Suggestions on cooking? Wife won't eat anything bloody.... must be medium to medium well at least.
what temp to cook, what IT to pull at? seasonings?
Thanks.
Jeff
Ya know what FRM...I have never smoked a leg...but West Coast Kansan brought some amazingly killer chops to the smoke out...maybe he could point you in the right direction. I consumed the leftovers at dinner the next night!!! They were amazing...
Maybe PM him?
Sorry, I have never had lamb so I could not begin to guess what to do with it. ???
I've been tempted a few times to pick one of these up at Kroger as well. Let me know how it turns out!
Great Deal,
I have a leg of lamb in the freezer. Usually lamb is kept simple with just some olive oil and seasoning rubbed on it. Make sure that you do not over cook it. 130 degees would be rare. Use the same temperature chart as beef.
Brad
I've been wanting to try one too, but $40 is alot to experiment with. For $11, I would:
Coat in olive oil, salt, pepper and smoke @ 200F with a mild wood, maybe Apple, to an IT of 135-140, FTC for a couple of hours.
We don't mind Rare around here, so I would do 127-130F.
I've done this recipe many times now, always with great results, it's taken from the Bradley u.k. recipes.
The only thing i do different to this recipe is the the cook time, i like my lamb a little more done, so i cook for longer.
Smoked Leg of Lamb
Ingredients
• 2.5 to 3 kg (5 to 6 lb) leg of lamb boned and tied
Paste:
• 1 small onion peeled and halved
• 1 head of garlic peeled
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) fresh lemon juice
• 10 ml (2 tsp) lemon zest
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) paprika
• 5 ml (1 tsp) rosemary
• 10 ml (2 tsp) coarse salt
• 10 ml (2 tsp) coarse ground pepper
• 90 ml (6 tbsp) olive oil
To Serve
• lemon wedges
• extra virgin olive oil
• minced fresh mint
Preparation
Prepare the paste by combining all the paste ingredients except the oil in a food processor and process. With the processor running, pour in the oil and continue processing until a paste forms. Spread the paste generously on the lamb. Place the lamb in a plastic bag/wrap and refrigerate overnight. Remove the lamb the next day and let stand for 45 minutes.
Smoking Method
Preheat your Bradley Smoker to between 105°C and 120°C (220°F and 250°F). Place the lamb in the Bradley Smoker and using Special Blend flavor bisquettes smoke/cook until the lamb is medium/rare, approximately 30 minutes per pound. Use a meat thermometer to check.
To Serve
Remove lamb when done and let stand 10 minutes. Slice and serve with a squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of olive oil and fresh mint.
Give it a try...........LilSmoker (http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s62/Gitster59/Tip-Hat.gif)
LS is dead on it!!! Exactly how I would do it as well. Rosemary , olive oil and garlic is lamb's best friend.
KyNola
I thought Mary was the lamb's best friend but I guess time and distance will strain any relationship ;D
Have to agree with Lilsmoker........that's the best way I've ever done it.
SD
Be sure to debone and I usually cook it unrolled - lots faster and more surface to get that smoke on it.
Quote from: LilSmoker on January 02, 2009, 07:10:52 AM
I've done this recipe many times now, always with great results, it's taken from the Bradley u.k. recipes.
The only thing i do different to this recipe is the the cook time, i like my lamb a little more done, so i cook for longer.
Smoked Leg of Lamb
Ingredients
• 2.5 to 3 kg (5 to 6 lb) leg of lamb boned and tied
Paste:
• 1 small onion peeled and halved
• 1 head of garlic peeled
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) fresh lemon juice
• 10 ml (2 tsp) lemon zest
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) paprika
• 5 ml (1 tsp) rosemary
• 10 ml (2 tsp) coarse salt
• 10 ml (2 tsp) coarse ground pepper
• 90 ml (6 tbsp) olive oil
To Serve
• lemon wedges
• extra virgin olive oil
• minced fresh mint
Preparation
Prepare the paste by combining all the paste ingredients except the oil in a food processor and process. With the processor running, pour in the oil and continue processing until a paste forms. Spread the paste generously on the lamb. Place the lamb in a plastic bag/wrap and refrigerate overnight. Remove the lamb the next day and let stand for 45 minutes.
Smoking Method
Preheat your Bradley Smoker to between 105°C and 120°C (220°F and 250°F). Place the lamb in the Bradley Smoker and using Special Blend flavor bisquettes smoke/cook until the lamb is medium/rare, approximately 30 minutes per pound. Use a meat thermometer to check.
To Serve
Remove lamb when done and let stand 10 minutes. Slice and serve with a squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of olive oil and fresh mint.
Give it a try...........LilSmoker (http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s62/Gitster59/Tip-Hat.gif)
This may be a really dumb question, but why do you use coarse salt and pepper if you are going to put it a food processor? Won't that make both fine? I've seen that in other recipes and just wondered. ???
I don't find that my food processor cuts that fine to mess up the coarse salt and pepper. I've always assumed (maybe erroneously) that the use of the coarse salt and pepper was for better adhesion with food and other spices.
SD
Hey all, Thanks for the replies!
Lilsmoker...... I am gonna try your recipe. I will probably fix it next weekend. I'll let y'all know how it turns out.
Thanks again!
Jeff
It'll be good, most of the world can't be wrong! There is probably more lamb cooked over a fire or smoked than any other meat in the world. It ranks a distant 4th in production, but it is consumed in a lot of countries where the only way to cook it is over an open fire. Use lots of garlic!
This is the next weekend = We're waiting!
Shakespeare
Caneyscud, good buy! We really like boneless leg of lamb around here and have had great success with it in the smoker. The paste mentioned in the recipe earlier in the post is great but to be honest we don't much care for Rosemary here with lamb or anything else. What I like to do is leave the Rosemary out entirely and before you put the paste on cut some garlic into thin slices and insert it into the lamb through slices in the flesh. I then marinate in red wine, pepper, fresh onion, soy sauce and coffee overnight, enough to completely cover the meat. The paste goes on, seasoned to suit, for another eight hours and then into the smoker at 200-220 with cherry and hickory until an internal temp of 135-140 is reached. FTC for at least two hours and I guarantee lamb that will be amazing. Tender, juicy, flavorful and the fat is rendered during the smoing so you don't get that strong taste that some lamb can have. I would give you exact measures but I tend to mix in the amounts that feel good at the time. I have also been known to throw in a can or two of 7-Up to sweeten things a bit. If the lamb is good you can't go too far wrong with whatever you decide to do as long as you don't overcook it! I do have some pictures of a boneless leg I did a while back, I will look for them and maybe post later on.
Quote from: stillsmoking on January 11, 2009, 05:48:46 PM
I then marinate in red wine, pepper, fresh onion, soy sauce and coffee overnight, enough to completely cover the meat.
SS
I'm beginning to like coffee in my marinades. I've only tried it on a couple of briskets. Saw a recipe about a Cowboy Brisket that I stole it from. The Cowboy Brisket was baked, so didn't do that, but it sure gave the smoked brisked a slightly richer and deeper taste.
Shakespeare
PS - I wish it was me who scored the good - not great! - buy on the lamb. It was Firerescueman. I'm just waiting for the evidentiary evidence - the photos!
Caney, I have been using coffee in my marinades for quite a few years now. Several years back when different types of coffee got really popular I thought shoot if I like the flavor when I drink it how bad could it be in marinade? I brew it strong and let it cool of course before adding, I like to use it with red meat and lamb. I generally use some kind of sweetener with the coffee to tone down the acidity and whatever spices I would normally use. To me red wine and coffee just go together.
Here is a picture of some lamb I did as described.
(http://)(http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq170/threelanes/IMG_1316.jpg)(http://)
And sliced.
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Coffee and Wine - talking about opposites attracting. I've got to try that - sounds great for a roast! Thanks
Shakespeare