Barbecued Leg of Lamb with Pomegranate Glaze

This is an excellent way to cook a leg of lamb – it looks after itself apart from a little turning – and the result is succulent and tasty.

Ready in 1 hour 50 minutes

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1.7kg leg of lamb, trimmed of excess fat
• handful of thyme
• juice ½ lemon
• ½ cup olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• pomegranate molasses
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds, optional
• 2 tbsp shredded mint leaves
• 1 cup thick unsweetend Greek-style yoghurt

Method

1 Bring lamb to room temperature. Score skin with a sharp knife, then tie with string to keep it in good shape. Transfer to a dish. Rub all over with thyme, lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Preheat a hooded barbecue hot plate on high for 10 minutes.

2 Turn barbecue heat to low. Put lamb on hot plate, with the chumpiest end on the hottest part of the hot plate (usually middle to top-third of the plate - the plate will be cooler near the edges) and lower the hood. Cook for 5 minutes, then turn lamb over and cook for 5-7 minutes, then turn once more. This may seem fiddly, but it will ensure the lamb starts cooking evenly, and avoids burning.

3 Cook for 1½ hours, turning about every 10 minutes (including positioning the leg on its sides), anointing with oily juices. This will produce medium to medium-rare lamb (it will be rarer in the thickest meatiest part, and more cooked as the joint tapers off towards the knuckle). Drizzle with pomegranate molasses, turn lamb quickly several times to glaze, then transfer to a board. Season generously with salt and let lamb rest uncovered for 10-12 minutes before slicing.

4 Swirl a little pomegranate molasses, pomegranate seeds, if using, and mint through yoghurt and serve with lamb.