Smoking mutton


 

Mike Marlow

TVWBB Fan
I have got a boned leg of mutton in the freezer and am thinking of smoking it for a group of friends who are coming round in a couple of weeks. As anyone got any good ideas about temps, length of time, rubs, mops, etc. Would be very happy to recieve any ideas and input.
 
Have you tried my 'Dirty Martini' marinade for lamb? Take a look and see what you think. I smoke/roast it at higher temps (~325) using grapevine or citrus but olive or almond are good too. Here.

I cook lamb anywhere from medium-rare to well (170F) depending on who's coming for dinner. A lower cook temp is a good idea for lamb cooked well--say 275F.

I often serve with lemon-oregano roasted or grilled potato wedges or planks and sauteed Swiss chard. I make a drizzle sauce out of parsley, capers, brined green peppercorns, a touch of fresh mint, a little olive oil, garlic and lemon juice--sort of a modified salsa verde.
 
Mike,
I see you are in Malta, not the U.S., so you are used to the taste of real mutton-a bit strong for many Yanks here. Try putting Worchestershire sauce all over it, then some Kosher salt and pepper over it and letting it sot sor an hour or so. Then add your rub overnight. I smoke my lamb w/a hard wood and a fruit wood i.e. Hickory or Maple and Apple to get ot med rare or med-be sure to foil it and enjoy.
 
Was thinking of you last night, Mike, when I grilled lamb tenderloins for dinner. This could easily be adapted to a leg.

I marinated (I almost always marinate lamb and do not dry rub) in a thin paste of fresh garlic, evoo, Aleppo pepper, Dijon, fresh rosemary, lemon juice, salt and white pepper then grilled the tenderloins over lump (no smokewood). I also made the grilled potato planks, brushing them with evoo, lemon and white pepper. I braised wedged white cabbage in a mix of a little butter, evoo, thyme, white pepper, Chardonnay and chicken stock and let the liquids reduce to nothing so that the cabbage wedges would caramelize. They were the base of the dish; topping them were the grilled potatoes; topping the potatoes a tenderloin, cut in quarters. On the side of the plate a good dollop of roasted garlic-thyme jam and drizzled over all a pomegranate-rosemary gastrique (which, if you are not familar with gastriques, is caramelized sugar thinned with vinegar and/or wine and often a fruit juice; I used a little sugar, white balsamic, Chardonnay, a splash of stock, a rosemary branch (fished out before tightening), and pomegranate molasses; tightened it with arrowroot, just a little). Just another thought.
 
Thanks Kevin,
That sounds very interesting. I will give it some thought for that night. Might try a combination.
Thanks again,
 

 

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