Slow-Grilled Leg of Lamb with Mint Yogurt and Salsa Verde – Autumn Grilling Series
Summer may be the season of sizzle, but fall is the best season for barbecue. Cooler temperatures and breezes allow the grilling of masterpieces without the sweating, sunburn, and bugs. Celebrating fall’s superiority, the Autumn Grilling Series continues with Slow-Grilled Leg of Lamb with Mint Yogurt and Salsa Verde. Featuring succulent texture and flavor, this lamb is seasoned with garlic and rosemary, and the aroma will make your backyard a place of interest to your neighbors.
Begin by purchasing a whole leg of lamb from the butcher, which will include part of the sirloin. Season the leg with salt and pepper, and then apply a mixture of garlic, rosemary, and olive oil to its entirety. Grill the leg over direct heat, turning often, and watching for flare-ups until it is browned. Move to indirect zone and slow cook for 1½ to 2 hours. The mint yogurt is a refreshing and tangy combination of garlic, Greek yogurt, fresh mint, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. The salsa verde features bold flavor from anchovy, garlic, and capers mixed with fragrant parsley, mint, and lemon juice. The finished lamb is sliced and served with lemon slices, fresh mint, min yogurt, and salsa verde. Get outside and grill, enjoy the autumn leaves and impress the neighbors with the Autumn Grill Series from Summerset.
Serves 8-10
Slow-Grilled Leg of Lamb with Mint Yogurt and Salsa Verde Ingredients
Mint Yogurt
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 2 cups whole-milk plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup chopped fresh mint
- 1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lemon juice
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Salsa Verde
- 6 oil-packed anchovy fillets
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ½ cup chopped fresh mint
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lamb
- 1 cup rosemary leaves
- ¾ cup peeled garlic cloves (from about 2 heads)
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1 5½–6½-pound whole bone-in leg of lamb, shank attached, frenched
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup chopped preserved lemons
- ½ cup chopped fresh mint
Slow-Grilled Leg of Lamb with Mint Yogurt and Salsa Verde Directions
Mint Yogurt
- Mix garlic, yogurt, mint, and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired.
Do Ahead: Mint yogurt can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
Salsa Verde
- Process anchovies, garlic, oil, parsley, mint, capers, and lemon juice in a food processor until herbs are finely chopped; season with salt and pepper.
Do Ahead: Salsa verde can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
Lamb
- Prepare grill for medium-high, indirect heat (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side of grill; for a gas grill, leave one or two burners off).
- Blend rosemary, garlic, and ¾ cup oil in a blender or food processor until rosemary and garlic are finely chopped. Season lamb all over with salt and pepper and smear with rosemary mixture.
- Grill lamb, fat side up, over direct heat, turning often and moving to cooler side of grill as needed to control flare-ups, until evenly browned all over, 15–20 minutes (lamb and marinade are both very fatty, so monitor closely and move off the grill for a moment if flare-ups get too intense). Position lamb over indirect heat and grill until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of lamb registers 135°, 1 ½–2 hours. (The leg is composed of several muscle groups; take the temperature in multiple spots for the most accurate reading.)
- Transfer lamb to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Holding bone, thinly slice lamb against the grain, continuing until you reach the bone. Rotate lamb and continue to thinly slice (slice only as much as you are serving.)
- Top lamb with lemons and mint; serve with mint yogurt and salsa verde.
Do Ahead: Lamb can be marinated 1 day ahead; chill. Lamb can be grilled 2 hours ahead; hold at room temperature. Grill over high to reheat, about 4 minutes, before slicing and finishing as directed above.
Taken from bonappetit.com
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/slow-grilled-leg-of-lamb-with-mint-yogurt-and-salsa-verde