Leg of lamb is a traditional springtime or Easter dinner, but there’s nothing typical about this smoked pulled lamb recipe. I love the flavor of lamb any time of the year. With this spicy but sweet shredded lamb, I’m sure your dinner guests will too. It’s so freakin’ delicious on gyros, tacos or whatever you’re in the mood for — special occasion or not.

Smoked pulled lamb braising in broth, onions and honey.

The trick with this one is to be patient! Once you cover the lamb with foil and start the braising process, resist the urge to open it up. You really can’t “over braise” a cut like this, so let the cooking time run its course. Our braising ingredients are guaranteed to have the tender meat falling off the bone. Add in our Chipotle Garlic Rub and FYR RED Hot Sauce for a spicy but savory crust on the outside and you’ve got the most flavorful meat on the dinner table.

Why You’ll Love Smoked Pulled Lamb

Lamb sometimes gets a reputation for having a gamey flavor, but starting with high-quality pasture-raised lamb meat (like what we’ve seen from the American Lamb Board) can turn all of us into lamb lovers.

The larger cuts are off the charts when it comes to flavor, tender texture and feeding a hungry crowd. Our FYR RED Hot Sauce and Chipotle Garlic Rub take this to a next-level BBQ recipe, and there are so many great ways to serve it. I’m always stoked when I get to introduce people to a protein they might not use all the time. So, this is your sign to channel your inner backyard pitmaster, head to your neighborhood grocery stores or local butcher and pick up a leg of lamb. 

The shredded, pulled leg of lamb meat.

Smoked Pulled Lamb Ingredients

  • Leg of Lamb: A large and impressive cut. This bone-in leg of lamb will get incredibly tender in the smoker thanks to our delicious braise. The Chipotle Garlic Rub and FYR RED Hot Sauce will create a good crust and enhance the smoky flavor.

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  • Braising Ingredients: Beef broth, thinly sliced onions and local honey are all you need here. 
  • Gyro Toppings: Pita bread, hummus, tzatziki, sliced red onions, sliced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, fries and feta cheese make our smoked pulled lamb recipe better than any gyro restaurant meal out there. 

Homemade Hummus

Making your own hummus gets you a spread that’s way more delicious than anything you’d find at the store. All you need is four main ingredients — chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini and olive oil (and OK, sometimes garlic if you’re feeling it) — and a food processor.

Take 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed, and add them to the food processor with 1/4 cup of tahini, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/4 cup of water, 1 medium garlic clove, and 3/4 teaspoon of salt. Process all those ingredients until you have a smooth mixture, which takes about 30 seconds.

Put the hummus in a bowl and transfer it to the fridge for 30 minutes or so; this is a great way to let the flavors meld together. Serve with our lamb gyros or straight up on warm pita bread. 

How to Make Smoked Pulled Lamb

The brine and braise for this recipe is going to take some time, but we’ve got this. The prep only takes 30 minutes, so after that you can kick back and let the smoker do its slow cooking work. 

Seasoning

Place your whole bone-in leg of lamb on a baking sheet, score the fat cap, slather with 1/4 cup of FYR RED Hot Sauce and generously season all sides with 1 cup of Chipotle Garlic Rub to completely cover the roast. Place the leg of lamb in the fridge, uncovered, for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight.

Leg of lamb with our FYR RED Hot Sauce and Chipotle Garlic Rub.

Smoking Your LEG OF LAMB

Preheat your smoker to about 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Add some wood chips or wood chunks if you want extra smoky flavor. Take your leg of lamb out the fridge and place it on the smoker. Let the lamb smoke until the meat reaches 165 degrees internal (about 3 hours). Once the lamb has hit temperature, take it off the smoker and place it in a large foil bin. 

Smoked pulled lamb grilling on the smoker.

Braising Your SMOKED PULLED LAMB 

Fill the bin with 2 1/2 cups of beef broth, 2 tablespoons of honey and 2 sliced onions. The liquid in the bin should come up to about 50 percent of the leg of lamb’s height, so add more or less broth if necessary. Tightly cover with foil and place the whole thing back on the smoker at 300 degrees.

Smoke until the meat is probe tender and shreddable, another 3 or 4 hours. Once the roast is done, pull the bin off the smoker and let the lamb rest for 20 minutes. 

Smoked pulled lamb braising on the smoker.

For more braising recipes, check out Braised Beef Short Ribs, Beer and Herb Braised Lamb Shanks Recipe and Tacos Al Pastor.

Assembling Your Gyros

After the lamb rests, remove from the bin and use two forks to shred the meat. If you want, you can also strain and simmer the leftover au jus down by half for a freakin’ delicious dipping sauce.

Add a handful of the shredded lamb to some pita bread, along with your favorite gyro toppings — hummus, tzatziki, sliced red onions, sliced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, fries and feta cheese are all great here. Serve and enjoy!

Smoked pulled lamb gyros, plated and served!

What to Serve With Smoked Pulled Lamb

These gyros are a meal unto themselves! The smoked pulled lamb also works great for tacos or lamb sliders. If you want to make this cut more of a traditional meal, serve the meat over mashed potatoes with the leftover au jus and snow peas sautéed in butter and kosher salt on the side.

For more lamb

Leftovers and Reheating

Braised meats make incredible leftovers. They’re often even better the next day. Store your leftover smoked pulled lamb in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Reheat the meat in a baking sheet in the oven or on the stovetop, then assemble your gyros, tacos or sliders again and serve. 

FAQS

Can I cook the leg of lamb a different way? 

Sure. If you don’t have a smoker or want less smoky flavor, you can braise the lamb in your oven or slow cooker. Be sure to do your research to find the ideal time and temperature to make sure the lamb cooks the way you want it!

How can I make sure I reach the right temperature for the meat? 

A leave-in probe thermometer or digital thermometer is the best way to ensure your temp is spot on. 

Can I use a boneless leg of lamb? 

You can, but the cut will likely take less time and the bone adds some extra flavor. A boneless roast is easier to carve, but bone-in has that extra connective tissue great lamb flavor. 

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Smoked Pulled Lamb

Smoked pulled lamb, braised on the smoker, makes a freakin' delicious base for gyros, tacos or sliders.
Author:Derek Wolf
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 7 hours
Brining Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 11 hours 30 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients 

Lamb:

Braising:

  • 2.5 cups Beef Broth
  • 2 medium Yellow Onions sliced
  • 2 tbsp Local Honey

Gyro:

  • Pita Bread
  • Homemade Hummus
  • Tzatziki Sauce
  • Sliced Red Onions
  • Sliced Tomatoes
  • Chopped Lettuce
  • Cooked Fries
  • Feta Cheese

Instructions 

  • Place your leg of lamb on a baking sheet, score the fat, slather with FYR RED Hot Sauce and generously season all sides with Chipotle Garlic Rub in order to completely cover the roasts.
  • Place them in the fridge, uncovered, for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight.
  • Preheat your smoker to about 250F. Add some wood chips or wood chunks if desired for extra smoky flavor.
  • Pull your leg of lamb out and place on the smoker to cook until 165F internal (about 3 hours).
  • Once the lamb has hit temperature, pull out and place in a large foil bin. Fill into the bin your beef broth, honey and sliced onions. The liquid in the bin should come up to 50% of the lamb legs height, so add more or less if necessary.
  • Tightly cover your bin with foil and place back on the smoker at 300F to smoke until the meat is tender to probe and shreddable (another 3-4 hours).
  • Once the roast is done, pull off and let rest for 20 minutes.
  • After the rest, pull the leg of lamb out and shred them up. (Optional: strain and simmer the au jus down by half for a dipping sauce!)
  • Add a handful of the shredded lamb to some pita bread along with your favorite gyro toppings (some included above). Serve and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Homemade Hummus
Making your own hummus gets you a spread that’s way more delicious than anything you’d find at the store. All you need is four main ingredients — chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini and olive oil (and OK, sometimes garlic if you’re feeling it) — and a food processor. Take 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed, and add them to the food processor with 1/4 cup of tahini, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/4 cup of water, 1 medium garlic clove, and 3/4 teaspoon of salt. Process all those ingredients until you have a smooth mixture, which takes about 30 seconds. Put the hummus in a bowl and transfer it to the fridge for 30 minutes or so; this is a great way to let the flavors meld together. Serve with our lamb gyros or straight up on warm pita bread. 

Nutrition

Calories: 690kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 84g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 229mg | Sodium: 2148mg | Potassium: 2374mg | Fiber: 22g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 17562IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 240mg | Iron: 17mg

Derek Wolf

Derek is the driving force behind Over the Fire Cooking. He started cooking with live fire in 2016 and decided to start a social media page so his friends and family could follow the journey. Fast forward to today and Over the Fire Cooking has spread across multiple platforms with millions now following Derek's fire cooking journey. He's a southern fellow who enjoys everything from classic BBQ to Central and South American inspired dishes. Whatever he's cooking up, it's guaranteed to be so freakin' delicious!

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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