Inspiration: Sundays were just made for dinners like these, right? A meal that’s a little more involved, something fancy or some good comfort food, a nice bottle of wine. What a perfect way to wind down from the weekend and start the week.

What We Loved: There were a few aspects of this dish that we really enjoyed – the charcoal/grilled flavor that was absorbed into the meat, the seasoned crust, and the taste of the lamb itself. When we each took our first bites, we were somewhat surprised by how much of the charcoal flavor that the lamb picked up. It was extremely noticeable and fabulous. And as lamb has a somewhat earthy flavor on its own, earthy rosemary is always a super pairing. This recipe combines rosemary with plenty of garlic to add a nice depth of flavor and seasoning to the lamb, and the meat itself is rich and tender. I roasted some zucchini, yellow squash, and onions and served them alongside this lamb with a side of tzatziki sauce for an all-around great meal.

Tips: We grilled this directly over the coals for the entire duration without flipping, which resulted in a charred crust on the bottom. In spots it was a little too charred, so we might suggest flipping the meat a time or two to create more even browning. The reason that we didn’t flip the meat was because we had a meat thermometer inserted into the middle and sticking out of the top, and I didn’t want to mess with moving it around after we started cooking. Sticking the thermometer into the end or side of the meat would be a nice way to solve that problem and allow you to flip the meat as needed. Also – we had a  small cut of meat (2.25 lbs), so the cooking time was relatively short – about an hour. If you use a large cut, grilling over indirect heat would probably be necessary.

Charcoal-Grilled Leg of Lamb with Rosemary and Garlic
Source: Adapted from Emeril Lagasse

1 leg of lamb, bone in (ours was about 2.25 lbs)
Juice from 1/2 small lemon
Extra virgin olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
Kosher salt and black pepper

1. Remove the lamb from the fridge and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and the lemon juice, using your hands to rub the liquids into the meat.

2. Using your hands, pat the rosemary and garlic all over the outside of the lamb. Sprinkle with Kosher salt and black pepper.

3. Insert a meat thermometer into the end of the lamb, inserting it into the middle and away from the bone. Grill on a charcoal grill until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees for rare, about an hour. Flip while cooking to ensure even browning.