Rosemary Garlic Leg of Lamb with Basil Mint Spread
Food and Drink

Courtesy of Barrel House Vertical Cooker

Rosemary Garlic Leg of Lamb with Basil Mint Spread

Prep Time: 1 hour (plus up to 24 hours for marinating) Cook Time: 2-2.5 hours Makes about 8 servings

 

6-8 lbs boneless leg of lamb

3-6 sprigs fresh rosemary

4-8 cloves or 4 oz jar minced garlic

Olive oil

Coarse black pepper

Coarse sea salt

Seasoning or meat rub (ideally with rosemary as an ingredient)

 

Basil Mint Spread

⅓ cup lemon juice

2-3 cloves fresh garlic

1 cup minced fresh mint

2 cups minced fresh basil

¼ cup olive oil

 

Items Needed

Barrel House Cooker

Butcher string

Large Ziplock bag

  1. Prepare the leg of lamb by removing the fat cap (in this case, it doesn’t do much for the meat other than prevent the seasoning from reaching it). Then, score ½” deep by 1-inch sections throughout the meat to create more areas for the seasoning.
  2. Rub the meat with a light coat of olive oil.
  3. Chop up some fresh rosemary and mince garlic (pre-minced 4 oz jar of garlic works well, too). You will want enough to cover the lamb to your taste preference.
  4. Work the rosemary, minced garlic, and seasoning into the meat and finish it with some coarse black pepper and salt.
  5. Once the meat has been seasoned, wrap it back up into as solid of a piece as possible. It will probably resemble a log at this point. You will need to use butcher string to tie the meat together so that it doesn’t fall apart during the cook. We recommend tying it up pretty well so that you can hang it for the entire cook.
  6. Once it has been wrapped up and tied up, place the meat in a large Ziplock bag to marinate for several hours or overnight.
  7. The next day, light the Barrel House Cooker.
  8. While the charcoal is heating up, remove the meat from the Ziplock bag and place a hook through the meat and under the strings at the top.
  9. Once the cooker is ready, place the H-Frame on the top level of the cooker, then hang the lamb towards the middle of the frame to cook. Close the lid and let it cook for two hours.

Make the Mint Sauce

  1. While the meat is cooking, finely mince the fresh mint, basil, and garlic.
  2. Place the chopped herbs in a bowl and pour in the lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. (All ingredients can be blended in a food processor as an option.)

Finish the Cook

  1. At two to two and a half hours, check the internal temp of the lamb for doneness. Cook to 135°F for medium with a bit of pink, 140°F for medium, and 160°F for well done.
  2. Let it continue cooking, if necessary, or remove the lamb if done.
  3. Slice up the lamb and serve along with the sauce.