If you are not fond of lamb, this seasoning works well with pork tenderloin. Use perhaps 2 to 3 tenderloins when preparing this recipe.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
- 1 leg of lamb (6 to 7 pounds) boned, butterflied, fat trimmed and cut to an even thickness of 2 to 2 1/2-inches
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 small white onion, coarsely chopped
- 7 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- 8 tomatillos, husked, rinsed, hulled and cut into quarters
- 1/4 cup tequila
- 2 cans chipotles in adobo sauce, chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
Heat oil in a large skillet and sauté the onion until it is transparent. Add the garlic and cook until golden brown. Add the tomatillos, tequila, chilies, salt, and sugar. Cook 5 minutes over high heat to burn off the alcohol, cook the tomatillos and reduce the liquid. Pour into blender (with the top askew, be careful it's hot) and blend until smooth.
Rub half the paste into the lamb. Marinate at least 2 hours or up to 1 day in the refrigerator. Bring the lamb to room temperature before grilling.
Heat a mesquite grill to medium-hot with the rack 3-inches from the wood. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Place the meat skinned side down and grill the lamb for 12 minutes on each side for medium-rare (140 degrees) at the thickest part, 30 minutes total for medium-well.
To serve: let the lamb rest for 10 minutes under an aluminum foil tent, then slice.
