Go Back
+ servings
Sliced brined and smoked leg of lamb on a plate
Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Easy Brined Leg of Lamb or Goat

Brining a leg of lamb is a delicious way to prepare a whole leg. After it's brined it can be smoked or roasted. Serves 4-6
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Brining Time12 hours
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Leg of lamb
Servings: 6 People
Calories: 6kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large pot for brining

Ingredients

  • One whole leg of lamb about 3-4 lbs
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 8 tablespoons salt
  • 2 qt water
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 2 large cloves garlic crushed with the back of a knife
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper corns
  • 1 rib celery chopped
  • 1 carrot chopped
  • A few sprigs of fresh rosemary or thyme optional, use a good pinch of dried if you don’t have fresh

Instructions

Brine

  • Bring the brine ingredients to a boil then cool.
  • Submerge the leg of lamb in the brine in a small pot or similar container (or a thick plastic bag set into a flat tray or Tupperware to prevent spills) where it will fit snugly. Refrigerate the roast for at least 12 and up to 24 hours.
  • Remove the roast, pat dry, and rub with 2-3 teaspoons of oil.

Smoking

  • Smoke the roast at 250F until a thermometer entered in the center reads 137-140F. This should take roughly 2-3 hours depending on the temperature outside around the smoker.

Roasting

  • To roast the brined leg, preheat an oven to 450F. Put the lamb on a baking sheet lined with a roasting rack, roast for 15 minutes, then turn the heat down to 250F and cook until 137-140F in the center.
  • Remove the roast from the oven or smoker and allow to rest in a warm place for 20 minutes. You can put it in a warm oven to reheat for a bit before serving if you want.
  • Carve the lamb with a long knife and serve on heated plates with seasonal vegetables. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice might be all it needs.

Notes

Either goat or lamb legs can be prepared this way. Make sure to save some for sandwiches. 

Nutrition

Serving: 8oz | Calories: 6kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 600mg | Potassium: 46mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 740IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 0.2mg