Greek Grilled Leg Of Lamb Recipes

GREEK GRILLED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Pound lamb until it is an even thickness.
• Place it in a shallow glass dish.
• Mix remaining ingredients until well-blended and pour over lamb.
• Turn meat in marinade, cover, and marinate in refrigerator overnight.
• Drain lamb and reserve marinade.
• Place meat on grill 6 inches above gray coals and grill for 40 to 45 minutes, brushing with marinade and turning every 10 minutes.
• Let lamb rest for 10 minutes.
• Cut meat into thin slices (lamb will be pink) and sprinkle with chopped fresh mint.

ROAST LEG OF LAMB, GREEK STYLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Under running water, trim the outer layer of fat from the lamb and blot dry. Allow the lamb to reach room temperature and squeeze the juice from the lemons over the lamb. Slice cloves of garlic, lengthwise.
• Put salt and pepper into a small container. Cut 6 small slots into each side of the leg of lamb, about 1-inch deep. Insert garlic slivers, followed by salt and pepper, into the lamb. Lightly sprinkle top of lamb with oregano. Pour the water into a roasting pan, add lamb, and cover with foil. Roast on lowest rack of oven for 40 minutes to 1 hour.
• Remove foil, lower heat to 375 degrees and roast for 40 to 50 minutes, or until lamb reaches desired temperature. Remove and let lamb stand about 30 minutes as the lamb continues to cook. To test the temperature of the meat, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the leg without touching the bone. For rare lamb, the thermometer should register 140 degrees. For medium, the thermometer should register 145 degrees.

GREEK GRILLED LEG OF LAMB: GYROS

Steps:

• With a sharp knife, make 20 slits across 1 side of the lamb and insert the garlic slivers. Place in a large non-reactive dish.
• In a bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Pour over the lamb and rub evenly across the surface. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate, refrigerated, for at least 2 and up to 6 hours, turning occasionally.
• Remove from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature. Season lightly on all sides with Essence. Brush a grill lightly with olive oil and preheat to medium heat.
• Remove the lamb from the marinade and place on the grill. Cook, turning occasionally until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F for medium-rare, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the grill and transfer to a platter. Tent with foil and let rest for 12 minutes before carving.
• Thinly slice the lamb and place the meat in the center of the pita breads. Top with Tzatziki Sauce and chopped tomatoes, and serve.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.
• In a medium bowl combine all the ingredients and chill for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to marry.

GRILLED MARINATED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Combine oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in sealable plastic bag. Add lamb and seal bag, pressing out air. Turn bag to coat lamb, then put bag in a shallow baking pan and marinate, chilled, turning bag over occasionally, at least 8 hours.
• Bring lamb to room temperature, about 1 hour, before grilling.
• Prepare grill for cooking over direct heat with medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas); see Grilling Procedure.
• Remove lamb from marinade (discard marinade) and run 3 or 4 skewers lengthwise through lamb about 2 inches apart. Grill on a lightly oiled grill rack, covered only if using gas grill, turning over occasionally and, if necessary, moving around on grill to avoid flare-ups, until thermometer registers 125 to 128°F, 8 to 14 minutes total for medium-rare.
• Transfer lamb to a cutting board and remove skewers. Let lamb stand, loosely covered with foil, 20 minutes. (Internal temperature will rise to 135°F while meat stands.) Cut across the grain into slices.

BARBECUED GREEK LAMB WITH TZATZIKI

Steps:

• Mash the garlic to a paste with a pestle and mortar. Mix with the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, thyme and bay, and season with a little salt and plenty of pepper. Place the lamb in a large porcelain dish. Pour the marinade over the lamb and massage into the meat. Leave the lamb for at least 1 hr at room temperature, or longer in the fridge, but no longer than overnight or the meat will become too soft.
• To cook the lamb, fire up the barbecue, or heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. To cook on the barbecue, wait for the coals to turn ashen, then lay the lamb on the grill and cook for 15 mins on each side for meat that is pink, or 20 mins on each side for well done. To cook in the oven, place the lamb in a shallow roasting tin and roast for 30 mins for pink or 40 mins for well done, turning the lamb halfway through. Leave the meat to rest for 10 mins before carving.
• Meanwhile, make the tzatziki. Coarsely grate the cucumber, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and squeeze out all the liquid. Tip into a bowl with the yogurt, garlic and mint, and mix well. Carve the lamb into thick slices and serve with the tzatziki wrapped up in warm flatbreads.

LEG OF LAMB-BONELESS-GREEK STYLE

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine the 1/2 cup lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper.
• Whisk well.
• Place lamb in a shallow baking dish and cover with marinade, turning to coat.
• Marinate for 3 hours or overnight, turning a few times.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Remove lamb and place on a roasting rack over a baking dish.
• Cook for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue cooking for another 40 minutes.
• Test for desired doneness.
• Remove lamb from oven, sprinkle reserved lemon juice over cooked meat, wrap in foil and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes.