Leg of Lamb Tzatziki Marinade
A juicy leg of lamb marinated in a Greek Tzatziki-style yogurt-cucumber marinade and then hot smoked. The acidity of the yogurt makes the meat particularly tender, while garlic, dill and mint provide fresh flavors. Smoking with beech wood gives the lamb an elegant, mild smoky note.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Preparing the marinade
10 minutesMix yogurt, salt, pressed garlic, dill, mint, lemon juice and pepper into a homogeneous marinade. Pat the leg of lamb dry and coat completely with the marinade.
Marinating
24-48 hoursPlace the marinated leg of lamb in a zip bag or sealed bowl and let it rest in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours. Turn occasionally.
Smoking
4-6 hoursScrape off excess marinade. Preheat the smoker to 115-135 °C. Add beech and lemon wood chips. Smoke the leg of lamb indirectly until a core temperature of 70-74 °C is reached.
Resting and serving
15 minutesRemove the meat from the smoker and let it rest covered for 15 minutes. Serve with fresh tzatziki and pita bread.
Pro Tip
Use full-fat Greek yogurt – it adheres better and provides more flavor. The scraped-off marinade can be served as a dipping sauce if heated beforehand.
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