Grilled Leg of Lamb with Red Wine Sauce
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Makes 6 to 8 servings
Banked Grilling/ High and Low Heat
One 6 1/4-pound boneless leg of lamb, boned by the butcher, bones reserved and sawed into 2-inch pieces (about 3 1/2-4 pounds boneless leg of lamb)
Herbed Red Wine Marinade
1 cup hearty red wine, such as Cahors, Syrah, or Zinfandel
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, crushed under a knife
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Lamb Stock
The bones from the leg of lamb
3 cups homemade beef stock or 1 1/2 cups canned beef broth and 1 1/2 cups water
Red Wine Sauce
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons chopped shallots or red onions
3 cups lamb stock, preferably homemade, or use canned low-sodium beef broth
1 1/2 cups hearty red wine, such as Cahors, Syrah, or Zinfandel
2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce (optional)
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 small bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Herb Rub
3 garlic cloves, crushed under a knife
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
- Using a thin bladed knife, trim off all excess fat from the surface of the lamb. With the tip of the knife, cut out any nodules of fat in the meat. Place the lamb on the work counter, with the outside of the lamb facing down. Make a few deep cuts in the thickest part of the lamb, and open them like a book to increase the surface the lamb.
- Make the marinade: In a large bowl, whisk the wine, vinegar, rosemary, sage, basil, garlic, salt, and crushed red pepper. Gradually whisk in the oil. Add the lamb and cover. Refrigerate, turning occasionally, for at least 2 hours, and up to 8 hours.
- While the lamb is marinating, make the lamb stock. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the lamb bones and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned. Add the beef stock and enough cold water to cover the bones by 1 inch, about 1 quart. Bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer for at least 2 and up to 4 hours. Strain and let stand for 10 minutes. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface. (The stock can be made 1 day ahead, cooled, covered, and refrigerated.) Return to the pot, add the red wine, and bring a boil over high heat.
- Drain the lamb and pat dry. Mash the garlic into a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix the garlic paste, the rosemary and remaining salt, and rub over the lamb. Let stand while building the fire.
- Build a charcoal fire in an outdoor grill and let burn until covered with white ash. Protecting your hands with oven mitts, using a garden spade or another fireproof tool, spread the coals in a bank, with one side about two coals high, sloping to a depth of single coals. In a gas grill, preheat on High, then turn one burner to High, and the other burner(s) to Low.
- Meanwhile, start the sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the stock, wine, soy sauce, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook, uncovered, until the sauce is reduced to about 1 cup, about 25 minutes. Stir in the dissolved cornstarch and cook until lightly thickened. Remove the bay leaf. Let the sauce stand at room temperature while finishing the lamb.
- Place the lamb over the hot area of the coals. Cover and grill until the underside is browned, about 5 minutes. Turn, cover, and grill until the other side is browned, 5 minutes more. Move the lamb to the low area of the coals and cover. For a gas grill, brown over the High burner, then transfer to the Low burner(s). Continue grilling until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the lamb registers 125°F for medium-rare meat (the thinner parts of the meat will be cooked to medium), 10 to 15 minutes.
- Transfer the lamb to a carving board and let stand for 5 minutes. Reheat the sauce, then remove from the heat. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and adjust the seasonings. Pour into a sauceboat. Slice the lamb across the grain into thin slices. Serve immediately.
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