Barbecued Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Mint
1 Leg of lamb (5-6 lb)*
3/4 c Balsamic vinegar
1/3 c Mint jelly
1/3 c Minced fresh mint leaves
Fresh mint sprigs (opt)
Salt
Pepper
small Pocket bread**
* – boned and trimmed of surface fat
** – or regular pocket bread, cut in half crosswise
Lay meat boned side up. Slash about halfway through
thickest portions, as needed, and pull meat, patting cut edges
down, to make the piece relatively even.
Place lamb in a 9×13″ pan. In a 1 1/2 quart pan over
medium-high heat, stir vinegar with 1/3 cup mint jelly just
until boiling. Stir in mint and pour evenly over lamb. Cover
and chill 2 hours or up to a day. Turn meat over occasionally.
On firegrate in a barbecue, with a lid, ignite 50-60
charcoal briquettes. When briquettes are dotted with ash, in about
30 minutes, spread them into a single layer; scatter 10-12
more briquettes over coals. Set grill 5-6″ above coals. Lift
meat onto grill; reserve marinade. Put lid on barbecue and
open vents.
Turn meat as needed to brown evenly; baste with marinade.
Cook until thickest part of meat is done to your liking; for
rare (140′ on a thermometer) in center of thickest part, allow
about 40 minutes total. Thinner sections will be well done.
Transfer lamb to a platter and let rest 5-10 minutes.
Garnish with mint sprigs. Slice meat thin. Season to taste
with mint jelly, salt, and pepper. Eat with knife and fork or
tuck into pocket bread.
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