# Martini Lamb



## Raine (Jul 29, 2005)

Martini Lamb

1  6  pound  leg of  lamb

MARTINI PASTE:
1/2 medium  onion --  chopped
10  cloves   garlic
juice and zest of one lemon
3 tablespoons  gin
2 teaspoons  kosher  salt
1/4 cup  olive  oil

MARTINI MOP (OPTIONAL):
1 cup  gin
1 cup  beef stock
2/3  cup   water
juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons  olive oil

The nite before, prepare paste.  In food processor, combine the onion,  garlic lemon, gin and salt and process to combine.  Continue processing,  pouring in the oil until a thin paste forms. Generously spread the paste on the  lamb.  
Place lamb in plastic bag and refrigerate overnite.

Prepare smoker bringing temp. to 200-220.

Remove meat from icebox let sit at room temp. for 30 min.

Mix mop (if you plan to baste) and warm over low heat.

Transfer lamb to smoker.  Cook 35-40 min./lb until internal temp. is  145 for rare-med. rare.  Baste meat w/mop every 45-50 min. in wood-burning  pit, or as appropriate for your style smoker.  Remove lamb and let sit 10  min.  Slice 
and serve warm or chilled.

TIP:  Leg of lamb is best when lightly smoked... in a water  smoker.  But other types will yield pleasing results.  If using a  wood-burning pit,wrap the lamb in foil after the first hour!

TIP:  Use coarse kosher salt.  The mild flavor won't over-power  the dish


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## Poppinfresh (Mar 8, 2006)

I use a similar recipe, but I add something that's INCREDIBLY readily available in my area (Central Oregon): 

Juniper berries.  We have juniper trees all over the **** place out here.  I grab about a tablespoon's worth from one of the ones in my backyard, rinse em and scrub em, and put them in (whole--you don't want to turn them into part of the paste) with the marinade overnight.  Just be sure to take them off when you take the product out of the fridge the next day.  The berries themselves are hard, bitter and generally not very tasty...but they really seem to do something with the gin.


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## pdswife (Mar 8, 2006)

sounds good raine!  We love lamb!


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