A Leg Up on Lamb
October 30, 2008

The weather is brisker and it’s time to turn our merry-making indoors. For a cozy buffet, a grilled leg of lamb provides a stunning main attraction. I like to serve it with goat cheese scalloped potatoes, balsamic-glazed roasted beets, and maple butternut squash. For a quick herb-infused sauce to serve on the side, I simply strain and boil the lamb marinade and add a bit of crème fraiche.

There is a special time-tested technique to grilling the somewhat unwieldy, yabba-dabba-doo, leg of lamb. The meat is grilled for exactly eleven minutes on each side in a closed, medium–hot grill. The lamb is then removed from the grill, and set to rest in sealed foil for 20 minutes and up to 2 hours. Because of the uneven terrain of a butterflied leg of lamb, this method yields a nicely charred exterior, and perfectly cooked slices in the rare to medium range– just enough variety to please the whole crowd.

What’s the best part of this meal besides the show-stopping food? The all-important do-ahead factor: grilled lamb is resting while the side dishes are popped into the oven before guests even come through the door. The scene is a warm welcome, intoxicating aromas, and relaxed hosts– now that’s a leg up on hospitality anytime of the year!

Herb Marinated Leg of Lamb                               
Serves 10-12

Order a 7-8 pound butterfly leg of lamb (the bone is removed.) Place lamb in a large non-metallic bowl or double encase 2 one-gallon zip lock bags.

  1. In a food processor mince 6 cloves of garlic. Microwave 1-8 oz. jar of mint jelly for 30 seconds; add to processor. Pulse 20 seconds. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil; a fistful each of de-stemmed fresh rosemary and mint leaves; 1-cup of Dijon mustard; 3 tablespoons soy sauce; and generous pinches of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Process 60 seconds. Pour the marinade over the lamb. Marinate lamb for 1-3 days, flipping occasionally to incorporate the marinade.

  2. Heat grill to medium-high, then lower to medium hot when ready to grill. Strain marinade into a saucepan and simmer over medium heat for at least 15 minutes. Stir in 4 ounces of crème fraiche, and adjust for seasoning. Pour into a gravy server.
Grill lamb for 11 minutes on each side, turning with tongs, for a total of 22 minutes maximum (trust me.) Place grilled meat in a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil lining a cookie sheet and seal tightly. Lamb must rest at least 20 minutes before carving and will hold up to 2 hours.

Kim Dannies is a graduate of La Varenne Cooking School in France. She lives in Williston, VT with her husband, Jeff, and three college–aged daughters who come and go. ©2008