Easy Smoked Leg of Lamb
For years we have been serving up our Roasted Leg of Lamb for Easter Dinner or any other special occasion, but when we bought our Traeger smoker we knew it was time to bring this amazing lamb roast outside to cook! Oh my gosh, I’m so glad we did, because this juicy & tender smoked lamb is full of the best flavors and served up with the most amazing chimichurri sauce. It is a match made in heaven and we may never cook leg of lamb any other way!
Lamb Chops vs. Leg of Lamb?
Maybe try smoking lamb chops? They require less time and are so delicious, just try our bone-in smoked lamb chops recipe!
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Be sure to see the full recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, & estimated nutritional information.
- leg of lamb – in this recipe we used a large boneless leg of lamb, feel free to use a bone-in leg of lamb but that will change the overall cook time.
- garlic herb butter – we love using fresh herbs but you can also try it with dried herbs and simply use a plant-based butter to make it dairy-free.
- chimichurri sauce – absolutely love the light & refreshing flavors of this homemade sauce but feel free to use another favorite sauce if you have one (this creamy mint sauce is awesome!.
How To Smoke A Leg of Lamb
First, add the garlic butter ingredients to a bowl.
Then stir to combine.
Cut small slits all over the lamb and then press slices of garlic inside the slits.
Rub all over with the garlic butter and season with salt and pepper.
Mix up the chimichurri sauce in a food processor and set aside.
Place the seasoned lamb directly on the grates of the smoker, close the lid, and let it cook to your desired doneness
Transfer to a plate and let rest. Then slice and serve!
Best Way To Serve Smoked Leg of Lamb (make it a meal)
The recipe card includes our chimichurri sauce that is so good with slices of smoked lamb! But feel free to swap it out for a lamb sauce, if you prefer. And if you are looking for some sides, check out our round-up of side dishes for lamb. There are so many great options!
Pro Tip
- Garlic is a Must: Don’t skip on the garlic slices! They add SO much flavor!
- Testing Pain Points: the first time a cooked this I pulled it from the smoker closer to 130 degrees F. and it was definitely undercooked. Don’t make that mistake! You really need to watch that internal meat thermometer and let it be your guide on timing because every leg of lamb is going to be a bit different. Pull closer to 138 degrees F. for a medium-rare finish and let cook even longer if you want it more done.
- Rest: you gotta let it rest!
Smoked Leg of Lamb Recipe FAQs
No, the lamb does not need to be wrapped. This would actually prevent some of that smokey flavor from reaching your meat, so definitely do not wrap it.
No, basting is not required. The garlic herb butter will melt and naturally baste the lamb as it smokes.
This almost 6 pound boneless leg of lamb reached a medium-rare finish after 3 hours at 225 degrees F. The exact time will depend on the size of your lamb, your desired doneness in the middle, and then smoker variables, like humidity, wind, outdoor temperatures, etc.
Yes! Simply set the lamb on a cutting board or sheet pan, lightly cover with aluminum foil, and let the meat rest for 15 minutes.
Other Lamb Recipes You Might Like
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Smoked Leg of Lamb Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner/Entree
- Method: Smoker
- Cuisine: American
Description
Our epic garlic herb butter Smoked Leg of Lamb recipe is the ultimate main dish for your next special occasion! Plus, a homemade chimichurri sauce!
Ingredients
Garlic Herb Butter:
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3–4 tablespoons butter, softened (sub plant-based butter)
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Smoked Leg of Lamb:
- 5–6 pound boneless leg of lamb
- 2 garlic cloves, cut into thin slices, lengthwise
- 1–2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Homemade Chimichurri Sauce:
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/8 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/8 cup fresh basil
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tablespoon shallot, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- (optional) 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Serving Options:
- quick pickled onions
- lemon wedges
- tzatziki sauce
Instructions
- Take Out Lamb: Take lamb out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature.
- Prep Garlic Herb Butter: Put all ingredients in a small bowl and mix to combine, set aside.
- Prep Lamb: Cut 10-15, 1-inch slits in the lamb and push a slice of garlic into each one (you really can’t do too many, so feel free to add more if you love garlic!). Rub the outside of the lamb with the Garlic Herb Butter and season with kosher salt and pepper.
- Prep Smoker: Ensure grill grates are clean and preheat smoker to 225 degrees F.
- Smoke Lamb: Place the lamb directly on the grill grates of the smoker, close the lid, and let it smoke for about 2.5-3.5 hours for a medium-rare finish (135-140 degrees F). Use a probe thermometer or meat thermometer to keep track of the internal temperature at the thickest part of the meat. When it reaches an internal temperature of 134-140 degrees F, it can be removed from the smoker. Place the lamb on a cutting board and cover loosely with foil and let rest 15 minutes. (see Notes for doneness/internal temp)
- Make Chimichurri: While the lamb rests (or while it is on the smoker), put all of the Chimichurri ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until fully combined. Set aside until ready to serve.
- Rest & Serve: Slice and serve the lamb with the Chimichurri Sauce on top.
Notes
- Internal Temp: for medium rare, pull when it reaches approx. 137/138 degrees F. For a medium finish, pull when it reaches 145 degrees F. Also note that it will be more well done on the edges and less cooked in the middle. Cooking until you reach 145 degrees F. will take longer than the cook time stated above.
- Testing: we tested this on a 5.7lb leg of lamb and it took right around 3 hours to come up to 138 degrees F. for a medium-rare finish.
- Total Cook Time: we gave a range for total cook time simply because it will depend on how thick your particular leg of lamb is, total weight and then also factors like hot spots on your smoker, wind, humidity, etc.
- Sauce: highly recommend making the chimichurri sauce above, but we also have Lamb Sauce or a Mint Chimichurri.
- Dairy Free: simply use a plant-based butter.
- Leftovers: make a yummy Chopped Gyro Salad!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 oz
- Calories: 481
- Sugar: 0.2 g
- Sodium: 239.6 mg
- Fat: 36.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.4 g
- Fiber: 0.4 g
- Protein: 35.3 g
- Cholesterol: 136.4 mg
Erin says
This was phenomenal!!