There’s nothing quite like the sizzle of lamb on a grill. The smell, the sound, the anticipation – it’s all part of the joy of cooking outdoors. That’s why I am so excited to share with you my recipe for Dick’s Grilled Boneless Leg of Lamb. This dish has a special place in my heart, and I hope it will in yours too. Originating from the Mediterranean region, lamb has been a central part of many celebrations and feasts. This recipe pays homage to those traditions, while adding a few modern twists. The key is in the marinade – a mix of onion, garlic, ginger, jalapeno pepper, shoyu (Kikkoman soy sauce), honey, and peanut or cottonseed oil. This gives the lamb a savory, slightly spicy, and subtly sweet flavor that pairs perfectly with its natural juiciness. Plus, marinating the lamb overnight allows these flavors to really seep in, resulting in a tender, flavorful piece of meat. And let’s not forget about the grilling part! There’s something about the charred, smoky flavor from the grill that just takes this dish to the next level. I love serving this at BBQs – it’s always a hit!
Ingredients
- 1 butterflied leg of lamb (have butcher prepare it)
- 1 medium onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 piece fresh ginger (about equal in size to total of garlic)
- 1/2 medium seeded jalapeno pepper
- 1/4 c. shoyu (Kikkoman soy sauce)
- 1/4 c. honey
- 2 Tbsp. peanut or cottonseed oil
Grilling Steps
- Puree onion, garlic, ginger and pepper in food processor.
- Mix together with shoyu, honey and oil.
- Spread marinade on both sides of butterflied leg of lamb.
- Put lamb and marinade in a plastic bag in refrigerator.
- Lamb can marinate overnight.
- Turn several times.
Calorie: 600
Total cooking time: 2 hours
Difficulty level: Intermediate
Dick’s Grilled Boneless Leg of Lamb: A Hilarious Journey into the World of Cooking
The Prelude to the Lamb
So there I was, in my kitchen, face-to-face with a boneless leg of lamb. My butcher, a gruff, burly man with a heart of gold, had prepared it for me – but not before giving me a stern look and saying, “Don’t mess this up, kid.” No pressure, right?
The Gathering of the Ingredients
Next up, it was time to gather the ingredients. One medium onion, check. Three cloves of garlic – or was it four? Let’s go with three, because well, we all know what happens when you get too liberal with garlic. Fresh ginger, about the same size as the garlic. I swear, it’s like Goldilocks and the three bears in here. Too big, too small… just right. A seeded jalapeno pepper that’s only half there (much like my attention span at this point). A quarter cup of shoyu (fancy word for Kikkoman soy sauce, in case you didn’t know), same amount of honey, and 2 tablespoons of peanut oil. Cottonseed oil works too, but I’m a peanut guy.
The Magic of the Food Processor
I tossed the onion, garlic, ginger, and pepper into the food processor, and let it whirl. I’ll tell you, there’s something oddly satisfying about the sound of a food processor. It’s like it’s saying, “Don’t worry, I got this.”
The Creation of the Marinade
Then it was time to mix the puree with the shoyu, honey, and oil. I’m pretty sure I looked like a mad scientist at this point, cackling with glee as I mixed the concoction. I spread the marinade on both sides of the lamb, making sure to cover every inch. This lamb was going to be so marinated, it wouldn’t know what hit it.
The Marinating and Waiting Game
I put the lamb and the marinade into a plastic bag and stuck it in the fridge. Now, the recipe said the lamb could marinate overnight. But let’s be real, who has that kind of patience? I decided to turn it several times over the course of a few hours, which felt like eternity.
The Grilling Finale
Finally, it was time to grill. The anticipation was killing me. Would it be a success? Or would I have to face the wrath of my butcher? As the grill sizzled and the aroma filled the air, I knew I had a winner. The lamb, the onion, the garlic, the fresh ginger, the pepper, the shoyu, the honey, the peanut – it was all worth it.
The Verdict
As I took my first bite, I almost wept with joy. It was perfect. I had done it. I had conquered the Grilled Boneless Leg of Lamb.
The Aftermath
So, what’s the moral of the story? Cooking can be fun, even when you’re facing down a leg of lamb and a recipe that looks more like a science experiment. And remember, there’s no crying in cooking… unless you’re cutting onions. Then it’s totally acceptable.
