Tandoori-Spiced Grilled Butterflied Lamb

This is an incredible recipe created and photographed especially for me (aren’t I special?) by Three Many Cooks. If I needed any more reason to get my grill serviced and back in working order, this would be it. My goodness, does this look delicious. Thank you Pam, Maggy and Sharon!

For the related story written by Pam, see the next post, The Circle Of Lamb.

==========

Tandoori-Spiced Grilled Butterflied Lamb
Recipe courtesy of Three Many Cooks

Serves 8 to 10 or more

1 butterflied lamb leg or shoulder (4 to 5 pounds)
8 garlic cloves
1 1 1/2 -inch chunk fresh gingerroot, peeled and cut into thick coins
1/4 cup ground cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

 
Cut butterflied lamb in a couple of places almost but not all the way through to increase surface and even out the roast’s thickness.

Process garlic and ginger in a food processor or blender until minced. Add remaining spices and oil; continue to process to a smooth paste. Spread on both sides of the lamb; let stand for an hour to give the lamb a chance to come to room temperature.

Preheat gas grill igniting all burners on high for at least 10 minutes. Place lamb, cut side down, on hot grill rack; grill, covered, until nicely brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn lamb and continue to grill, covered, until nicely brown on the other side, 4 to 5 minutes longer.

Turn off all but one burner on grill, transfer lamb to a platter, stick a meat thermometer into the thickest portion of the lamb, and let it rest for 10 minutes (the temperature should increase about 10 degrees). Return lamb to grill, setting it over the unignited area. Continue to cook roast, maintaining the grill temperature at 300 to 350 degrees or between low and medium, adjusting burner as necessary. Cook until meat thermometer registers 140 degrees for rosy pink meat, about 30 minutes. (To slow the cooking, simply turn the burner to low heat.)

As soon as lamb comes off the grill, drizzle with optional lemon juice and sprinkle with cilantro. Divide lamb into individual muscles. Slice across the grain, arrange on a platter, drizzle with accumulated juice and serve immediately.

 
==========

 
I don’t know about you, but this looks like the perfect way to bring in the grilling season. Thank you for a wonderful recipe, Pam!

 
If you haven’t yet, head over to Three Many Cooks and make yourself hungry looking at all the great food there. Their obvious close relationship with each other is so endearing, and I love that each recipe has an accompanying story (for this recipe, the story is in the next post, The Circle Of Lamb). Maybe that’s because most of our own family stories and favorite moments center around food, too.