Quick Look at this Traeger Smoked Leg of Lamb Recipe
- Ready In: about 3 1/2 hours
- Serves: 12 (will depend on the size of your leg of lamb)
- Main Ingredients: boneless leg of lamb, garlic herb butter, homemade chimichurri sauce, & garlic cloves
- Dietary Info: gluten-free, dairy-free friendly
- Best For: Christmas dinner, Easter dinner, or any other holiday or special occasion!
- Origin: For years, I have been serving up our Roasted Leg of Lamb for Easter Dinner or any other special occasion, but when we bought a Traeger smoker I knew it was time to bring the cooking outside! 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 recipe. It is a match made in heaven and I’m never cooking leg of lamb any other way!
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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 – I used a large boneless leg of lamb and recommend doing the same. Option to smoke a bone-in leg of lamb (the internal temp guide is the same) but it will take longer to reach that temp.
- garlic herb butter – we love using fresh herbs but you can also use dried herbs and simply use a plant-based butter to make it dairy-free. This will provide a perfect crispness to the outside that a dry rub or marinade will not.
- 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
Step 1 – Add the garlic butter ingredients to a bowl.
Step 2 – Stir to combine & set aside.
Step 3 – Cut small slits all over the lamb and then press slices of garlic in them.
Step 4 – Rub the garlic butter on the outside of the lamb and season with salt and pepper.
Seasoning a Leg of Lamb
Many people have smoked a leg of lamb, but our secret to bringing the BEST flavor is to insert slices of garlic cloves directly into the meat and then cover the whole thing in an amazing garlic herb butter (with some salt & pepper, of course)! You have never tasted lamb like this!
Step 5 – Place the seasoned lamb directly on the grates of the smoker, close the lid, and let it smoke to your desired doneness. Use a meat thermometer to track the internal temp.
Step 6 – Transfer to a plate, cover with foil and let rest for 15 minutes.
Internal Temperatures for Smoked Leg of Lamb
| Finish | Internal Temp to Remove from Smoker |
| medium-rare | 130-135 degrees F |
| medium | 135-140 degrees F |
| medium-well | 145 degrees F |
Step 7 – Mix up the chimichurri sauce in a food processor and set aside. Slice the lamb and serve together!
Best Way To Serve Smoked Leg of Lamb (make it a meal)
The recipe card includes our easy chimichurri sauce that is so good with slices of smoked lamb! Most people think it goes best with steak (which it does), but you have to try it with a slice of smoked lamb. If you prefer a creamier sauce, try my leg of lamb sauce. And if you are looking for some side dishes, I love serving it up with my Greek Orzo Salad, Potatoes au Gratin Gruyere, or Easy Lemon Couscous!
Erin’s Pro Tips
- Garlic is a Must: Don’t skip on the sliced garlic! They add SO much flavor!
- Testing Pain Points: the first time I 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 135 degrees F. for a medium-rare finish and let it cook even longer, if you want it more done.
- Rest: you gotta let it rest! This allows the juices to redistribute and the internal temperature to continue rising a few degrees.
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.
Hickory wood chips are great for smoking just about any type of meat, but something sweet like cherry or apple would also work well!
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! Set the lamb on a cutting board or sheet pan, lightly cover with aluminum foil, and let the meat rest for 15 minutes.
Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. They can be used to make gyros or an easy chopped gyro salad!
This depends on the number of guests and how much time you have. Lamb chops require less time and are so delicious, just try our bone-in smoked lamb chops! But a whole leg of lamb might be better if you have a larger crowd.
Other Greek Lamb Recipes You Might Like
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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.ย
- Prep Garlic Herb Butter: Put all the Herb Butter ingredients in a small bowl and mix to combine, set aside.
- Prep Lamb: Cut 10-15, 1-inch slits in the 5-6 pound boneless leg of 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 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt & 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Prep Smoker: Ensure grill grates are clean and preheat smoker to 225 degrees F.ย
- Smoke Lamb: Place the lamb directly on the grill grates of the smoker, close the lid, and let it smoke until the internal temperature reaches 130-135โ for a medium-rare finish. This should take about 2.5-3.5 hours. Use a probe thermometer or meat thermometer to keep track of the internal temperature at the thickest part of the meat. This timeframe can be impacted by a variety of factors such as the weather, how consistent your smoker holds heat, etc. Feel free to smoke longer for a more well done leg of lamb or pull it sooner for a more rare finish. 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, take it off the smoker when it reaches 130-135 degrees F. For a medium finish, pull it around 135-140 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.ย
- Testing: we used a 5.7lb leg of lamb and it took right around 3 hours to reach 138 degrees F for a medium-rare finish on our Traeger Smoker.ย
- Total Cook Time: we provide a range for the total cook time 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.ย
- Sauce: highly recommend making the chimichurri sauce above, but we also have Greek Lamb Sauce or the Best Mint Chimichurri.
- Dairy Free: simply use a plant-based butter.
- Storage: keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Leftovers: make a yummy Chopped Gyro Salad!ย
- Nutrition Info does not include the serving options.
Bridget says
Oh my, these flavors were incredible! Thank you!
Erin says
This was phenomenal!!