Greek Leg of Lamb (Butterflied)

Name: Greek Leg of Lamb (Butterflied)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 3 lb butterflied lamb leg, trimmed of excess fat; 1 tbsp dried oregano, preferably Greek; 3 clove garlic cloves, minced fine; 2 tsp kosher salt; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 0.33 cup fresh lemon juice, about 2 large lemons; 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest, from the juiced lemons; 0.5 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Greek Fire Lamb — Lemon-Oregano Butterflied Perfection

Few things beat the primal satisfaction of lamb seared over flames, especially when it's been soaking up Mediterranean sunshine flavors for hours. This butterflied leg cooks fast and even, giving you gorgeously charred edges and a rosy pink center.

MediterraneanGreekDinnerGluten FreeKetoPaleoDairy FreeHigh ProteinDate NightGrillingLamb

Prep15 min

Cook20 min

Total35 min

Servings6

Difficultymedium

Ingredients

3 lbbutterflied lamb leg, trimmed of excess fat

Marinade

1 tbspdried oregano, preferably Greek
3 clovegarlic cloves, minced fine
2 tspkosher salt
1 tspfreshly ground black pepper
⅓ cupfresh lemon juice, about 2 large lemons
1 tbspfresh lemon zest, from the juiced lemons
½ cupextra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

Combine all marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag, shaking or squishing to blend them thoroughly. The olive oil and lemon juice will form a loose emulsion that coats the lamb beautifully.
Drop the lamb into the marinade bag and massage everything together through the plastic, working the mixture into all the meat's crevices. The butterflied shape gives you lots of surface area to flavor.
Seal the bag securely and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, though overnight is ideal for deeper flavor penetration. Turn the bag once or twice if you remember.
⏱ 24 hrs
Pull the lamb from the fridge about an hour before cooking to take the chill off. Cold meat hitting a hot grill doesn't sear as well.
⏱ 1 hr
Oil your grill grates well to prevent sticking, then crank the heat to high. You want aggressive heat for this cut — around 450-500°F if you can measure it.
⏱ 15 min
Lift the lamb from its marinade and lay it fat-side down on the hottest part of the grill. You should hear that satisfying sizzle immediately.
Grill for 12 minutes without moving it, letting the fat render and create a beautiful crust. Flip and cook the flesh side for 8 minutes more, aiming for an internal temperature of 135°F for perfect medium-rare.
⏱ 20 min