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Smoked Leg of Lamb Roulade with Apple-Cranberry Sourdough Stuffing

This prime-grade leg of lamb has been brined in seasonal spices, butterflied and thoroughly trimmed, lined with a finely cured prosciutto, filled with a tart apple-cranberry sourdough stuffing, then rolled, tied and slowly smoked to tender, medium-rare perfection. Paired with a gorgeous full-bodied red wine and a winter white kale and arugula salad with pear, pomegranate, and a date honey balsamic vinaigrette.

Ingredients

For the Brine

3.8 litres cool water
1 cup salt
¾ cups granulated sugar
fresh sprigs of rosemary and thyme
2 tablespoon peppercorns
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
2 cinnamon sticks

For the Lamb

4 cups homemade sourdough stuffing, fully prepared
1 boneless leg of Lamb (4-5 pounds), thoroughly trimmed and butterflied
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for basting
2 tablespoons freshly grated orange zest
2 tablespoon garlic powder
salt and coarsely ground black peppercorn, to taste
450 g prosciutto, finely sliced

Preparation

  1. In a large stock pot bring water, salt and sugar to a boil. Once rolling boil achieved, remove from burner, toss in a few handfuls of herbs, peppercorn and cinnamon sticks. Allow the water to cool entirely to room temperature, then immerse the leg of lamb. Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours.
  2. Afterwards, remove meat from the brine. Discard brine water, rinse lamb off under the faucet and pat dry with paper towel. Set aside and allow meat to return near room temperature.
  3. Meanwhile, prepare homemade sourdough stuffing. Set aside.
  4. 1 hour prior to smoking, butterfly and thoroughly trim the lamb, removing as much of the tough fat as possible. Drizzle the meat with olive oil and massage a liberal degree of seasonings, zest, salt and ground peppercorn into all portions of the lamb. With fat cap down, spread prosciutto across the bone-side portion of the meat. Spoon an even layer of stuffing across the prosciutto-lined butterflied- lamb leg. Then roll the lamb tightly upon itself. Wrap with kitchen string and truss in 5 cm intervals. Set aside.
  5. 20 to 30 minutes prior to smoking, load smoker with wood chips, fill the water pan and preheat to 115°C. Place the wrapped leg of lamb across the middle rack of the smoker – fat cap up. Slowly roast for 90 minutes to 2 hours, lightly basting every 20 minutes with olive oil, or until the internal temperature of the roll achieves 55°C and juices run clear.
  6. To finish, sear the exterior of the rolled lamb over a well-oiled super-heated cast iron pan, or the hottest direct heat grill grates of your Char-Broil TRU-Infrared Grill. Char the lamb roll exterior for 1 to 2 minutes per quarter turn, searing for 4 to 8 minutes total.
  7. Carefully transfer lamb to a cutting board. Tent with tin foil and rest for 10 minutes before removing the kitchen string, slicing across the grain into thing medallions, and plating. Season additionally to taste and serve.
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