Boned and opened flat, a leg of lamb goes from a three hour roast to a forty five minute grill, with far more surface exposed to the fire and therefore far more char.
The uneven thickness of a butterflied leg is a feature rather than a flaw. It gives you rare at the thick end and medium at the thin end in a single piece, which is usually what a table of eight actually wants.
Ask the butcher to bone and butterfly it, and to trim the heaviest fat and gristle seams. It is a fiddly job to do well at home.
At a glance
| Recipe | Method | Grill temp | Cook time | Pull at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butterflied Leg of Lamb Over Charcoal | Two-zone cooking | 230 to 290°C (450 to 550°F) | 45 min | 55°C (130°F) |
Techniques used
Two-zone cooking. Coals banked to one side: a searing zone and a gentle zone in one grill. The single most useful technique in charcoal cooking.