Portuguese Style Smoked Pulled Lamb with Garlic, Lemon & Rosemary

A slow smoked Portuguese style lamb, studded with garlic and rosemary, rubbed with lemon, olive oil, honey, herbs and smoked paprika, then wrapped until fall-apart tender and finished with rich pan juices.

Some recipes carry more than flavour. They carry the small kitchen habits passed down quietly through family.

This lamb is made in that spirit, with little slits cut into the meat and filled with garlic and rosemary before it is rubbed with lemon, olive oil, honey, herbs and smoked paprika. It is a simple, old-fashioned way of cooking that lets the flavour sit deep in the meat rather than only on the surface.

The smoker gives the lamb a beautiful bronze colour and gentle depth, while the wrapped stage keeps it tender and full of pan juices. By the end, the meat pulls apart easily and carries all those warm flavours of garlic, lemon, rosemary and olive oil.

It is generous, rustic and made for a table with sides, bread, greens and people reaching in for more.

Prep: 25 min · Cook: 5 min · Serves: 10 · Cuisine: Portuguese · Category: Dinner

Ingredients

Lamb

• 2.8kg bone-in lamb leg pieces I used one 1.3kg lamb leg and one 1.5kg half leg.
• Extra garlic cloves, sliced into slivers, for studding
• Extra rosemary sprigs, for studding

Marinade

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves, crushed
• Zest of 2 lemons
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 tsp dried oregano or Italian herbs
• 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 tbsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

For Wrapping

• 1 to 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 onion, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• Rosemary sprigs
• Splash of lemon juice
• Reserved marinade

Method

1. Pat the lamb dry with paper towel.
2. Cut small slits into the lamb and press garlic slivers and rosemary into the slits.
3. Mix the marinade ingredients together in a bowl.
4. Reserve a small amount of marinade to add later when wrapping.
5. Rub the remaining marinade all over the lamb.
6. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
7. Remove the lamb from the fridge 45 to 60 minutes before cooking.
8. Preheat smoker to 255°F / 124°C.
9. Smoke the lamb uncovered for about 3 hours, or until deeply coloured.
10. Transfer the lamb to a tray with chicken stock, onion, smashed garlic, rosemary, a splash of lemon juice and the reserved marinade.
11. Cover tightly with foil and return to the smoker.
12. Cook wrapped for about 2 hours, or until the lamb is very tender and pulls apart easily.
13. Rest covered for 30 minutes.
14. Pull the lamb into large pieces.
15. Spoon over the pan juices before serving.

Notes

This recipe was made with two smaller bone-in lamb leg pieces, weighing about 2.8kg in total. You can use a similar total weight of lamb leg pieces, or one larger bone-in lamb leg, but cooking time may vary depending on thickness and shape.

Lamb leg is leaner than shoulder, so the wrapped stage is important. The stock, reserved marinade and pan juices help keep the meat moist while it softens.

For the best flavour, marinate the lamb overnight. Use lemon zest generously, but avoid adding too much extra lemon juice if marinating for a long time.

If the lamb does not pull apart easily after the wrapped stage, keep cooking it covered until tender. Go by feel rather than the clock.

Serving Suggestion

Serve with:

Garlic Green Beans with Olive Oil & Lemon

Roasted Pumpkin with Feta, Honey & Herbs

Greek Yoghurt Flatbreads

Portuguese Garlic Rice (Arroz de Alho)

Crispy Roast Potatoes (Potato Bugs)

The Grace Table Tip

Serve this lamb family-style with roasted pumpkin, garlic green beans, warm flatbreads, rice or potatoes. Spoon the pan juices over the lamb just before serving so every piece stays glossy and full of flavour.