Greek Butterflied Lamb Leg Recipe

While you marinate a butterflied lamb leg in a daring garlic/lemon/oregano Greek marinade, superb issues will occur … Particularly, amazingly tender, severely flavour-infused lamb! Glorious to grill on the BBQ, or roast within the oven.

A sensational share platter meal possibility for gatherings – the Greek means! After extra concepts? Browse all my roast lamb recipes!

Butterflied lamb leg is solely a leg of lamb with the bone eliminated so the meat lies flat and is comparatively uniform in thickness. This implies the lamb cooks sooner than a conventional entire roast leg, in addition to opening the leg as much as all types of flavour potentialities.

Right now, we’re going Greek! Numerous garlic, plenty of lemon, plenty of oregano – flavours which can be a pure pairing with lamb given it’s one in every of Greece’s favorite meats!

Simply garlic, oregano, lemons, the butterflied lamb leg (extra on this beneath), and fairly please can we additionally faux I didn’t overlook to place olive oil within the picture? 🙂 Oil is critical not solely so as to add some richness and flavour, but in addition to dilute the lemon so the acid within the lemon doesn’t “prepare dinner” the lamb meat, such as you see it executed for Ceviche.

Butterflied lamb leg is a lamb leg with the bone eliminated so it may be “butterflied” to lie flat. This provides you a broader vary of cooking technique choices in comparison with a bone in lamb leg which is best roasted entire as a consequence of its form. It additionally affords us the chance to actually get some nice flavours in right through the flesh.

When ready properly and cooked to uncommon or medium uncommon, it’s an extremely succulent, tender lamb lower that’s supreme served for gatherings. A 1.7kg/3.4lb butterflied lamb leg (the meat lower from a mean measurement 2.2kg / 4.4 lb bone-in lamb leg) will simply serve 8 individuals, if no more.

The outer floor, pictured above, will sometimes include a layer of fats on it. Trim off as a lot or as little as you need – although I do warning towards extreme fats elimination as a result of the fats retains the meat good and juicy, to not point out fats = flavour!

And right here’s what the flesh aspect seems to be like. That is the aspect that the bone was lower out of:

If time permits, I like to recommend marinating for twenty-four hours. This yields extra tender meat, and higher flavour infusion.

Nonetheless, the fantastic thing about utilizing butterflied lamb leg with this reasonably intense lemony-garlicky marinade is that even a brief 3 hour marination makes a outstanding distinction. All these nooks, crannies and crevices within the flesh you could see within the picture above are simply ready for the marinade to seep into!😂

Observe: The floor of the flesh will flip a bit white, from the lemon “cooking” the meat. Don’t be alarmed – it’s alleged to occur and has no impact on the ultimate end result. 🙂

As a result of the lamb leg meat is “butterflied” out so it lays comparatively flat, it makes it excellent for cooking on the BBQ, which you’ll’t actually do with a bone in lamb leg. Lamb LOVES to be grilled, and it actually brings out the most effective of these tasty Greek flavours!

1. Make marinade – Combine the marinade substances in a big ziplock bag;

2. Marinate lamb – Add the lamb, therapeutic massage properly, then marinate for twenty-four hours (minimal 3 hours). Ziplock luggage actually are the simplest and environment friendly technique to marinate this lamb as a result of it retains the meat absolutely enveloped with the marinade. If you happen to choose to make use of a bowl or container, enhance the marinade by not less than 50%, and toss a couple of times throughout the marinating time;

3. BBQ, or range + oven – Prepare dinner the lamb both on the BBQ (20 minutes) OR on the range adopted by ending it within the oven (22 – 25 minutes).

   Range ➔ oven: Beginning on the range and ending within the oven is the most effective technique for thick cuts of meat like butterflied lamb leg. If you happen to attempt to prepare dinner it simply utilizing the range, you’ll find yourself with a thick band of overcooked meat on the outer edges by the point the center cooks by.

   Alternatively, for those who attempt to prepare dinner it simply utilizing the oven, you received’t get a lot color on the floor. No person needs a colourless piece of lamb!

4. Pull temperature = 57°C/135°F – The suitable time to drag the lamb off the BBQ / out of the oven for medium uncommon is when the inner temperature reaches 57°C/135°F. It’ll rise a short while resting (subsequent step);

5. Temp rises throughout resting to 62°C/144°F – Resting the lamb is important, to let the juices redistribute all through the meat because it sits. If you happen to attempt slicing earlier than resting, all these juices simply run in all places!

   Because the lamb rests, the lamb continues to prepare dinner slightly extra as a result of residual warmth. The interior temperature will rise to 62°C/144°F. That is exactly medium-rare, the optimum doneness for lamb leg in order that it’s a blushing pink and fantastically juicy;

6. Plate up and serve! Put it out entire and let individuals carve their very own slices off on the desk, or you’ll be able to serve it already sliced (my choice) for ease of serving.

KEY TIP! Pull the lamb off the BBQ/oven earlier than the goal inside temperature is reached as a result of it can rise by round 5°C/7°F because it rests. If you happen to don’t pull the lamb off/out early, the lamb will likely be overdone by the point it’s rested – and the way unhappy will that be?! 😞

* Pull temperature is the inner temperature at which the lamb needs to be taken off the BBQ or out of the oven. ** That is what the inner temperature will rise to after resting, and that is your remaining Goal Temperature to your desired degree of doneness.

The truth is, due to the uneven thickness of a butterflied leg of lamb, whereas most of it may be an ideal medium uncommon, the thinner edges will likely be unavoidably medium and even medium-well executed. However that really works completely to cater for visitors preferring their lamb extra well-cooked!

This dish is fabulous for gatherings, shared platter-style, or a fast summer season meal that can feed your loved ones over a few nights. Listed here are some serving choices and advised sides:

• To start out: Spanakopita – This beautiful spinach pie, lower into small items, makes a fantastic first course earlier than the primary occasion;

• Greek Salad – An enormous, juicy, contemporary Greek Salad is actually made to serve alongside this lamb;

• Flatbreads – Stuff the meat inside for home made lamb wraps!

• Rice (and related) sides – resembling Greek Lemon Rice, Mediterranean Brown Rice Salad, Greek Lemon Orzo Salad (Risoni)

• Quick no prepare dinner aspect possibility – Couscous. Douse it generously with lemon, toss by some chopped tomato and cucumber for those who’re feeling it, perhaps some sliced olives. YUM.

• Marinated Greek-flavoured Chickpea Salad (that is actually, actually good)

• Shiny, zesty Lentil Salad or do that Roasted Eggplant Lentil Salad

• Tzatziki as an accompaniment (use the one in my Gyros recipe) and even simply plain yogurt jazzed up with a squeeze of lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

The platter pictured on this put up options the Greek Salad, store-bought flatbreads (you are able to do higher!) and Tzatziki.

Get pleasure from! – Johnsat x

Greek Butterflied Lamb Leg Recipe

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Serves: 8 Prep Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes 25 minutes

Nutrition facts: 430 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 1.5 – 1.8kg / 3 – 3.6 lb butterflied (ie. boneless) lamb leg (Note 1)
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 3 large garlic cloves , minced using garlic press
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp zest (= zest of 1 lemon)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp oil (for brushing BBQ or for stove sear)
• Lemon , for garnish
• Oregano leaves , optional garnish as pictured
• Flatbreads or store bought pita breads
• Greek Salad
• Tzatziki (use recipe in Gryos) or just use plain yogurt
• More ideas listed in post

Instructions

1. Mix marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag.
2. Add lamb, massage bag well to get the marinade into all the meat cracks and crevices.
3. Seal bag and marinate for 24 hours (3 hours minimum).
4. Remove lamb from the fridge 1 hour prior to cooking (to take fridge chill out for more even cooking).
5. Brush grates with oil then preheat BBQ until very hot. (Takes a good 15 minutes, lid closed, with my basic gas BBQ).
6. Remove lamb from marinade and place on the grill, fat side down.
7. Cook for 12 minutes, then turn and cook the flesh side for 8 minutes, or until the internal temperature in the thickest part registers 57°C / 135°F for medium-rare or desired pull temperature (see Note 3).
8. Loosely cover with foil, and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
9. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (all oven types). Place a rack on a tray.
10. Cut lamb into 2 or 3 large pieces so it fits in your skillet.
11. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Sear until golden brown on both sides, around 2 – 3 minutes each side. (Note: It will not colour much more in the oven)
12. Roast for 22 – 25 minutes, or until the thickest part registers 57°C / 135°F for medium-rare or desired pull temperature (see Note 3).
13. Remove from oven, loosely cover with foil, and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
14. Either slice it at the table, or slice prior to serving and pile onto a platter. Fabulous served with Greek Salad, Tzatziki and flatbreads, as pictured in post.
15. More side suggestions: Lemon Rice, Mediterranean Rice Salad, Greek Chickpea Salad, Lemon Orzo Salad.

Notes

1. Butterflied lamb leg – This is a lamb leg with the bone removed. I buy mine already butterflied. Otherwise, ask your butcher to bone out a whole lamb leg or do it yourself (use a boning or long, skinny knife and take your time; it’s not too difficult.)
2. Stove/Oven – Don’t try to cook the lamb all the way through on the stove, you’ll end up with a thick band over overcooked lamb before the inside cooks. Needs to be seared on the stove then finished in the oven.
3. Internal temperature cooked lamb:
TIP for even cooking: Butterflied lamb leg is not perfectly even in thickness all the way through. The thinner parts will be more done than the thickest parts, but this usually works out well because there’s always someone around that likes their meat more well done! However, if you really want every part to be perfectly medium rare, just cut the thinner parts off the heat earlier. It tends to be the flappy ends so they will detach easily!
4. Nutrition per serving, assuming 8 servings and that 3 tbsp of the oil ends up in the finished dish. Excludes sides.

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Sarah Miller

Hi, I’m Sarah Millar!
I’m a food blogger who loves creating quick and easy recipes that bring big flavor without the fuss. Cooking doesn’t have to be complicated — and I’m here to share simple, fast food ideas that anyone can make at home. When I’m not in the kitchen, you’ll usually find me tasting new dishes, exploring cafés, or coming up with fresh food hacks to make everyday meals more fun.

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