Our delicious and tender Grilled Leg of Lamb is a main dish that is perfect for serving up at any holiday table or special occasion! This grilled lamb has tender meat on the inside and a crisp crust on the outside. It is melt in your mouth delicious and can be served with just about anything!
The Best Grilled Leg Of Lamb
Here at The Wooden Skillet we always love to get our main course out of the oven (more room for sides) and the gas grill is a perfect way to cook an amazing lamb roast! It packs a big wow factor that is sure to impress a crowd but is actually pretty easy to make. We have been making a roasted leg of lamb for years, but this grilled lamb recipe might be our new family favorite! Just follow these step by step instructions to serve up this delicious cut of lamb for Christmas dinner or on Easter Day.
Looking for another lamb recipe? Try our Grilled Lamb Chops!
What You Will Need
- fresh garlic cloves – everything is always better with some garlic in the mix so we have used it in the grilled leg of lamb marinade and put whole slices directly into the meat.
- rosemary – this fresh herb adds so much great flavor to the lamb marinade.
- olive oil – an essential ingredient for any homemade marinade recipe.
- lemon zest – a little bit of acidity to help amplify all the best flavor!
- leg of lamb – this delicious cut of meat can be found in the meat department of your local grocery store or at a butcher shop.
- salt and pepper – simple seasonings that are always needed when cooking meat.
- lamb sauce – our delicious and simple mint yogurt sauce is perfect for serving with the finished cooked lamb slices.
How To Make Grilled Leg Of Lamb
The first steps to making the best lamb roast are to mix up the marinade ingredients in a small bowl and bring the boneless lamb roast to room temperature. Pro tip – tie some kitchen twine around the leg of lamb in a few places to help hold it together.
Now make about 10-12 small cut around the top of the lamb and insert a slice of garlic into each one. Then rub the lamb marinade all over the outside surface of the leg of lamb. Let it marinate for at least 2 hours or cover in plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight, if possible.
Place lamb directly on the clean grill grates of the preheated grill.
Close the grill lid and let it cook until the internal temperature at the thickest part of the meat is about 128 degrees F. Carefully transfer lamb from the grill and let it rest at room temperature on a platter or cutting board for about 10 minutes.
Use a sharp knife to cut into thick slices and serve with all of your favorite side dishes.
Best Ways To Serve Grilled Leg Of Lamb
A whole leg of lamb may not be the most common meat to cook, but we are here to assure you that you shouldn’t be intimidated! It is surprisingly easy and can be enjoyed so many different ways. We love to enjoy it at a holiday table with our friends and family. Typical side dish recipes that we like to serve with it are a couscous salad, candied carrots, or brussels sprouts au gratin. Or place some slices of lamb on pita bread and make some gyros!
Recipe FAQ
Around 325-350 degrees F is the perfect temperature for slow roasting a whole leg of lamb. Generally we achieve this by turning off the middle burner and leaving the outside burners on.
You can if you want to, but when you are grilling a piece of meat it is not necessary. The hot grill grates and heat will give it a nice and crisp crust.
It is possible, but it is very difficult to control the temperature of a charcoal grill and therefore we recommend using a gas grill.
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Other Lamb Recipes You Might Like
Grilled Leg of Lamb
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Marinate Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner/Entree
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: American
Description
A delicious and flavorful Grilled Leg of Lamb recipe that is simple and easy! Serve with a Mint Yogurt Sauce to complete the meal!
Ingredients
Garlic Rosemary Rub:
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Grilled Leg of Lamb:
- 3 garlic cloves, cut into thin slices lengthwise
- 6 pound boneless leg of lamb
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Mint Yogurt Sauce:
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons sour cream (regular or dairy-free)
- 3 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more if desired
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, minced and loosely packed
Serving Options:
- quick pickled onions
- pita bread
- lemon wedges
- fresh mint leaves
Instructions
- Prep Garlic Rosemary Rub: whisk together Garlic Rosemary Rub ingredients in a small bowl.
- Prep Lamb: Cut 10-12 1-inch slits in the lamb and push a slice of garlic into each one. Rub all over with the Garlic Rosemary Rub. Let marinate at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Prep Mint Yogurt Sauce: combine Mint Yogurt Sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and place in the refrigerator for later.
- Room Temp + Prep Grill: Leave lamb out and allow it to come to room temperature before grilling (if you are only marinating your lamb for 2 hours you can simply leave it on the counter and let it come to room temp while it marinates). Season lamb with salt and pepper. Preheat grill to 350 degrees F. and ensure the grill grates are clean.
- Grill Lamb: Place prepared lamb on the grill grates over indirect heat and close the lid (no need for a drip pan, there won’t be many drippings). Keep grill temp between 325-350 degrees F. Let cook until the internal temperature of the lamb reaches 128 degrees F. for a medium-rare finish (use an internal meat thermometer).
- Rest: Remove from grill and let rest 10 minutes before slicing – the internal temp will continue to rise as it rests reaching between 130-135 degrees F. at the time of slicing.
Notes
- Lamb Temps: medium-rare 130-135 degrees F.; medium 135-140 degrees F.; medium-well 140-145 degrees F.
- Cook Time: there are a lot variables that go into total grill time such as thickness of lamb, outdoor temp, wind, etc. That being said,15-20 minutes per pound is pretty usual, but track the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer or probe to be sure.
- Other serving options: serving it with some grilled asparagus and lemon orzo would also be delicious!
- Storage: leftover lamb can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- The USDA recommends serving lamb at an internal temp of 145 degrees F. Serve lamb below at your own risk.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 oz
- Calories: 297
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 274.7 mg
- Fat: 7.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Protein: 53.3 g
- Cholesterol: 142.8 mg
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