# First Lamb Smoke



## ultramag (Feb 26, 2007)

I've been wanting to try lamb for a while and finally got around to getting it done today. I started with a boneless lef of lamb, netted, that I bought on my Costco run last week.






I decided to marinade it overnight. I made a marinade as follows:

2 C. Italian Dressing
Â½ C. Lemon Juice
Â½ C. Worchestershire Sauce

We'll call these last ones a TBS - 1 Â½ TBS. I just used a pretty good sized palm full of each. They were dried oregano, garlic and onion powder, and black pepper. Most rubs and marinades I found in my research brag up rosemary for lamb but since I have none on hand so it got skipped. 











I marinaded the lamb 12 - 13 hours in the fridge and then applied the following "rub" I threw together.

Â½ C. Sea Salt
Â½ C. garlic powder
2 TBS onion powder
2 TBS dried oregano
2 TBS coarse ground black pepper

The marinade makes a good binder. I use the same method when I marinate chicken halves in Italian dressing. Here is the roast rubbed and ready to smoke.






I forgot to get a pic when I first put it in the smoker, but here is the WSM chugging along just after the leg went in. 






The leg went on 2 Â½ hours ago and was 43Â° internal when it hit the grate. The WSM is at 281Â° currently and the leg is at 126Â°. Pecan was the wood of choice today. 

I can't decide if I want to pull it at 145Â° or pull it at about 135Â° and roll it around on the grate right on top of the charcoal ring until it gets to 145Â° to crisp up the outside a little. Most everything I find says to treat it like a prime rib so that is what I did. I guess I might as well finish it up that way.


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## shellbellc (Feb 26, 2007)

Well how was it???


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## lovetosmoke (Feb 26, 2007)

Looks good hope to see some pictures of the finished product.


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## ultramag (Feb 26, 2007)

Settle down, you gotta give me time to finish it. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






  I decided to drop the grate down on the charcoal ring and finsish it off like that. I did that at 136Â° and rolled it around on all side until it hit 145Â°. It is resting tented in foil right now. Be back after dinner and clean up.


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## shellbellc (Feb 26, 2007)

Sorry!! I was thinking this was a weekend warrior meal!  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  Well I'm still looking forward to hearing about it.  I have a leg of lamb in the freezer that I was thinking about smoking for the Mr...


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## cajunsmoker (Feb 26, 2007)

Was that a domestic lamb or Australian?

I have heard it makes a difference in the gamey taste.


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## tonto1117 (Feb 26, 2007)

ultramag, looking good, is there a reason why you kept the temp of the cooker that high? I can understand the crispin it up with higher heat at the end. Have never done lamb, but would like to, so I'm just curious. 





Cajun,does it matter??? I seem to remember somthing about throwing it to the dog in the yard.


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## cajunsmoker (Feb 26, 2007)

I'm just looking out for my dog's best interest
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 .


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## ultramag (Feb 27, 2007)

This was Australian lamb Rodger. I have heard the same about domestic having a milder flavor profile. This to me was not particularly gamey, but I eat all kinds of wild critters as well. YMMV.

Theresa, all the info I could find on smoking lamb said to treat it basically like a prime rib with the only real difference being the spices. Most everyone seems to advocate heavy garlic (which I love so it was easy to sell it to me) and oregano and rosemary. I cook prime ribs in the same manner as this. Your good tender meats don't gain any benefit from low and slow as that method is used to take a tough piece of meat and make it nice and tender. That being said, I'll admit my target range was 250Â°-275Â°. I am using a new smoker and a new method different from the one other time I had used it so far. I started with a little to big of coal bed and since it was fine for this cut I just didn't fight it too hard. Hope this clears it up a little.


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## ultramag (Feb 27, 2007)

For my first venture into lamb we were very satisfied. I don't think lamb is any danger of becoming my goto meat, but we did enjoy it for something different. I think it would have been better cooked to a medium rare and pulled 10Â° sooner. We have reasons that this could not be done at this time for our lamb. I would recommend pulling it at 130Â°-135Â° and tenting loosely in foil for 15-30 mins. I did hit a perfect medium doneness which was what I was aiming for. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Here is the lamb when I first pulled the WSM lid. It was at 136Â° and had been on for about 3 hours.






This is the cooking grate right on the charcoal ring in the bottom bowl of the WSM. This worked great for searing and the smells and sounds during this process were simply awesome! I rolled it around right over the coals cooking on all four sides and hitting the two mine sides twice. I did this until the Thermapen said 143Â°.






I tented the leg loosely in foil for about 20 min. after searing and this was what I had when I opened it up to slice it for dinner.






This is the inside after slicing for dinner:






Here is the dinner plate. The one thing the GOSM can't do that I really love is bake taters right down in the coals. If you've never done this give it a try. It makes taters to die for.






Last one, this is slices that was left over. 






The meat was very tender and juice was a running every which way. We will definately be doing this again and I would say using the same marinade, rub, and cooking methods as this time.


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## deejaydebi (Feb 27, 2007)

Chad  -

That looks mighty tasty - and I don't even like lamb!


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## tonto1117 (Feb 27, 2007)

Thanks Chad, I will have to make a run to costco and grab one and try it, like I said, Ive never tried making lamb this way but your looks absoulutley delicious, and yes bring on the Garlic!! I will have to use my grill to crisp up the skin at the end and I will pull it per your suggestion of 130*-135*. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





BTW, looks like your really enjoying your new WSM!!! Everyone I know who has one loves thier's.... sounds like you do to.


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## pigcicles (Feb 27, 2007)

Ultramag, glad that beast came out good for you. I will have to give lamb another shot. My first one was overdone.. too much thinking involved. I agree it should be closer to medium to medium rare. I didn't have garlic on mine.. I'll keep your method in mind next time I want to feed the dog 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 and I don't even have a dog, just a dog house I stay in most of the time.

Looks great though, thanks for sharing.

Keep Smokin


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## veener88 (Mar 16, 2007)

I have done lamp a few times and I have to say I have found out that I like it better with the bone in then the boneless.  I mostly get Australian for some reason that is all they have up by me.  I like game meat but I have not noticed any game taste to it but it might be because I am use to hunting Goose and Duck and shooting it that morning and having it for dinner that night.


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