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The smoked leg of lamb on green lettuce on top of a white platter after it's been carved into slices with rosemary and red wine in the background.
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Smoked Leg of Lamb

When you need an impressive dish, serve this succulent smoked leg of lamb and watch all your guests happily devour every bite. Coated with a simple yet flavorful dry rub, this smoked lamb comes out unbelievably tender and juicy with the perfect touch of complex wood notes. You'll be surprised how simple it is to make, and this recipe only calls for about 10 minutes of hands-on preparation time before your trusty smoker takes care of the rest.
Course Main Dishes
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Resting Time 20 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings 8 people
Calories 266kcal
Author Amanda McGrory-Dixon

Equipment

  • Smoker
  • Wood pellets or wood chunks cherry wood, apple wood or hickory recommended
  • Water pan
  • Aluminum foil

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
  • ½ tablespoon black pepper
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 leg of lamb bone-in, boneless or partial bone (see notes)

Instructions

  • Heat the smoker to 225 degrees F. Meanwhile, stir together the dried rosemary, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, smoked paprika and black pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
  • Rub olive oil all over the leg of lamb on both sides. Coat with the spice mixture on both sides as well.
  • Place the lamb fat-side up directly on the grill grates of the smoker with a water pan. Insert a leave-in meat thermometer in the center of the lamb, making sure not to touch the bone if present. Close the lid and smoke until it reaches your desired internal temperature: 120 degrees F for rare, 130 degrees F for medium rare, 135 degrees F for medium, 140 degrees F for medium well and 150 degrees F for well done.
  • Remove the lamb from the smoker. Cover with aluminum foil and let the meat rest for 15-20 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute to the meat. Carve into thin slices, about ¼-½ inch in thickness. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • Cook to medium rare with medium being the highest internal temperature for best results. After that, the meat isn't as tender or juicy.
  • For a bone-in or partially bone-in leg of lamb, look for a roast that's about 5-7 pounds. A boneless leg of lamb will be closer to 3-4 pounds. If using boneless, it will likely come tied in kitchen twine — keep the lamb in the twine until you're ready to carve.
  • If you prefer less gamey flavor, look for an American lamb. Australian and New Zealand lamb tends to show off a stronger flavor. Your local butcher or grocery store meat department can let you know if the package doesn't specify.
  • Let the meat sit at room temperature for one hour before smoking to take off the chill and promote more even cooking.
  • If you’re a big garlic fan, you can cut small slits into the lamb and stuff them with fresh garlic cloves while smoking for extra flavor. The same can be done with fresh rosemary sprigs.
  • Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1lamb roast portion | Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 114mg | Sodium: 984mg | Potassium: 545mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 225IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 4mg