Simple Lamb Kebabs With Greek Flavors

- Total Time
- About 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Advertisement
Ingredients
- 2pounds boneless leg of lamb
- ¼cup plus ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 2tablespoons minced garlic
- ⅓cup roughly chopped fresh marjoram
Preparation
- Step 1
Build a fire in your grill; when the coals are covered with gray ash and the temperature is medium high (you can hold your hand 5 inches above the coals for 3 to 4 seconds), you’re ready to cook. (For a gas grill, turn all burners to high, lower cover and heat for 15 minutes, then turn burners to medium high.)
- Step 2
While the fire is heating up, trim the lamb of all but a thin layer of fat and cut into 32 more-or-less-equal chunks. Combine in a bowl with the ¼ cup of olive oil and the salt and pepper and toss well to coat, then thread them onto skewers, about 8 chunks per skewer; they should snuggle up to one another but not be tightly pressed.
- Step 3
Put the skewers directly over the coals and cook, turning to expose all 4 sides to the direct heat of the coals, until done to your liking, 2 to 3 minutes a side (8 to 12 minutes total) for medium rare. To check for doneness, cut into one of the chunks and check to see if it is done to your liking — remove from the heat when it is just slightly less done than you want it to be when you eat it.
- Step 4
While the lamb is cooking, prepare the remaining ingredients but keep in separate containers. Slide the lamb chunks off the skewers into a large bowl, add the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic and marjoram one after another, toss well to coat, season to taste if needed and serve.
Private Notes
Comments
A well pre-heated cast iron skillet will work for this just like it works for steaks.
Rather than marinate a la Souvlaki, the meat is grilled on sticks and then the flavor is added. Gives a much more flavourful result.
8 minutes is way too long to cook 1 - 2 inch chunks of lamb. Lamb is notorious for getting tough when overcooked so start with 5 minutes total and check. I overcooked mine by following this recipe exactly. I love lamb so I WILL perfect this at some point.
Can you make this on the stovetop or in the oven?
Why not combine all the seasonings with the oil first, then toss the lamb in the dressing? Is it so the herbs won't discolor? I have been doing this with grilled chicken thighs for years now (it's sublime) but I mix it all together first so the oil takes on the flavors of the garlic and herbs. Thoughts welcome.
It needed more garlic than I used (I used 3 large cloves). I only had one lemon so I used both the zest and the juice and that worked well. I used Dill & cilantro since that is what I had, maybe not traditional but tasted good. Great concept, will probably use it with other types of protien.
