Grilled Leg of Lamb, Sam's Way Recipe (2024)

Wow!! This is just one of the best things I have ever cooked on the grill. I have a gas grill, so to begin with I lit all three burners and let the grill get very hot. I didn't have wood chips, though. I seared each side of the lamb, turned off two of the three burners, moved the lamb to the side where the burners were off, and turned the remaining burner to "medium" and grilled covered for 30 minutes, then tented according to the directions. The meat was perfectly done. Will make this again.

This is a lovely recipe that turns out great lamb. Living in the northeast, I have no source of pecan shells but I have made this several time using fruit wood prunings. I have access to peach, apple and wild cherry but most any fruit wood and even lilac would do. I find the nut woods to be overwhelming/less than subtle on lamb. I have experimented with walnut, hickory and beech and like the fruit wood better. This Spring I am going to try my grape prunings. Stay tuned.

Worked great with a smaller lamb leg (3.5 lbs), just reduced some of the rub ingredients and watched the temperature carefully. Mr. Sifton advised me to grill until the center reaches the 145-150 range, which was perfect. Great with grilled asparagus, roasted potatoes, and some lightly-dressed greens.

Wow, yourself, Carol! Thank you! I was just pondering this recipe and wondering “gas grill? gas grill?” And here is your extremely helpful post. I pasted it into the recipe under Notes as I saved it in my recipe app. Thanks again. And, of course, thanks to Sifton and Bittman for a great-sounding recipe.

used a 1.5 lb boneless leg. Grilled. 4 minutes per side, then another 18 minutes total on indirect heat. Came out perfectly medium rarealso- used lemon zest (1 lemon) in marinade.

This was wonderful, but I ignored instructions to butterfly the boned leg. I like it well-done on the outside but rare-ish in the interior, so I cooked it more slowly. There was something for all tastes from rare to well done, and every bite was delicious. If I can get fresh mint I always make a mint sauce--finely chopped mint in cider vinegar with a bit of sugar to taste, allowed to marinate overnight. If mint's not available, I buy it ready-made, but for our family it's essential with lamb.

I like to give the lamb a little bath in red wine vinegar and/or lemon juice -- (then pour out excess and leave just the residue) before beginning the recipe. Maldon salt flakes seems perfect and particularly on the fat-side. We LOVE garlic, so I use more than prescribed, crushing it. I don't bother to chop the rosemary leaves. I'm lazy. A SUPERB, and essential recipe for lamb happiness in my world.

Check meat after 20 - 25 minutes. It was delicious but 30 minutes indirect is well done and over cooked on my Weber.

Unfortunately, we don't have a grill. I have cooked butterflied leg of lamb under a broiler. I would like to try this recipe, but would like advice for using a broiler vs. a grill, please—timing, mostly. Assume a 3.5 to 4-lb. leg.

This was a wonderful Christmas dinner. Nice char on the lamb leg, rare and pink as my husband likes. Will make again for special occasions.

Simple, easy, and came out perfectly. I used applewood chips and the smoky flavor was fantastic.

Very easy. Supremely delicious, even for a non-lamb lover like me. Perfect with Ottolenghi’s polenta with feta. A big hit every time I make it for a party.

Also add fresh mint to some of our chimichuri for serving.

used a 1.5 lb boneless leg. Grilled. 4 minutes per side, then another 18 minutes total on indirect heat. Came out perfectly medium rarealso- used lemon zest (1 lemon) in marinade.

So, when it says “cooked covered” on the grill does that mean to just tent it or put it in a pan and cover?Thanks!

Is there a recipe for the delicious-looking “mint chimichurri” sauce mentioned in the accompanying article?

3lb leg roast laid flat, cut meat further cut into chunks where already splitting. Doubled amount of garlic, and used enough crushed, dried rosemary to crust meat with it. On platter in fridge for a few hourse. Grilled as directed, plus dry oak twigs to flame and sear exterior before moving to indirect heat. Took less than two hours. 150 degrees internal was perfect. Result was juicy and tender inside, crusty outside. Overdid the kosher salt a bit. Don't coat it!

Amazing! I've always done lamb roast but thought I would try something different and this did not disappoint. I have a small barrel charcoal grill that I used with some hickory smoking chips. I seared for 4 minutes a side twice and then moved all of the charcoal to 1/2 of the grill, the grill is too small to make the recommended 1/3 to 2/3 work but having most of the meat off of the direct heat and on 1/2 of the grill turned out perfect. Absolutely delicious!

Consider separating the lamb leg here. There are generally two, connected parts. One is much smaller and will cook much faster than the other. Use whatever herbs you have. I added a bit of harissa to the marinade, not enough though.

Did it on a propane grill.....without any smoking.....just did the sear then moved off the burners to cook and checked with a thermometer. Came out great, cooked to 155F internal temp as we dont like very red meat. Also used lamb shoulder, since the store did not have leg.

Add lemon and anchovy paste (mix with the olive oil and rub it all over... I promise you won't taste fish - just makes it savory.

Unbelievably easy! 30 minute marinade yielded a moist, flavorful leg of lamb. Followed the gas grill suggestions and cooked it a bit less since I love really rare. Will definitely make again!

I didn't have access to any sort of smoking material so I used Smoked Salt, which added a subtle smoked flavor.