The crisp autumn air beckons us to cook over the open fire. I think everything tastes better with a tinge of smoke and charred edges, especially a leg of lamb. The preparations and seasonings are very simple, as you are relying on the fire to elevate this meal to a delicious, savory delicacy. We paired it with butternut squash thrown whole onto the coals and drizzled with high-quality olive oil and sprinkled with flaky salt. A fall meal to be shared, enjoyed, and tended outside in the golden light.
Ingredients
- 1 leg of lamb
- Two butternut squash
- Salt & pepper
- Flaky salt for finishing
- Three sprigs of fresh rosemary
Equipment
You will need a charcoal or open fire grill, and long grilling tongs.
Recipe
Rub your leg of lamb generously with torn pieces of rosemary (reserve a sprig for garnish), salt, and pepper at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours prior to cooking and refrigerate.
Build your fire 2 hours prior to cooking, or if using charcoal, start them one hour prior. Once you have a bed of coals going, place your squash directly on the coals, not flames. Continue to push coals toward your squash and turn them every 15 minutes. The exterior will be charred, but the inside will cook nicely without scorching.
Remove the leg of lamb from refrigeration 15 minutes prior to cooking.
Once your squash has been cooking for 1 hour 45 minutes, place your leg of lamb over flames. Feed the fire just before putting the leg of lamb on; you want high heat to sear it all over, and using a long pair of grilling tongs, rotate the meat until each side is cooked with a bit of a charred crust. Move your lamb to a low heat area with banked coals. Cover the grill and continue to monitor the coals to maintain a low-temperature cooking environment for the next 45 minutes. Cook lamb until a thermometer reads 140 degrees at the thickest point and your butternut squash is tender enough to stick a fork in.
Take everything off the grill. Let the leg of lamb rest for 15 minutes prior to cutting. Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and drizzle with high-quality olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky salt.
Enjoy with a glass of red wine and good company!