This is without doubt my favourite lamb marinade recipe – I’ve done it with chops, backstrap and best of all with a leg of lamb, boned and butterflied by the butcher. You take all the fat and skin off so the meat is lovely and lean and then grill it to medium-rare while having a wonderful charring on the outside of the meat. I cook this on our electric health grill at home – I can only imagine how fabulous it would be on a barbeque. The cooking times below are for a butterflied leg of lamb; you’ll need to adjust these if you’re using a different cut of meat. Whack the meat in to marinate at least 24 hours before cooking for best results.
Serves 4 (generously!)
1 – 1 1/2 kg leg of lamb, boned & butterflied
For the marinade:
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
1/2 tablespoon seeded mustard
1/2 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
5 garlic cloves, minced
Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Trim any excess fat from the lamb; then add the meat to the marinade, massaging in well with your hands. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours, turning a couple of times.
When you’re ready to cook your meat, take it out of the fridge to let it come to room temperature while you pre-heat your grill to high heat.
Grill the lamb on each side, turning once, for 15-18 minutes per side; baste it as you go with the remaining marinade.
Cover with foil and set aside to rest for 10 minutes in a warm oven before carving.
Delicious served with mashed sweet potatoes, caramelized onions and pea puree.
