Pomegranate Lamb Recipe

Pomegranate juice, red wine, garlic, sweet onion, lemon, and herbs make a tenderizing marinade for butterflied leg of lamb. Instructions are given for roasting in the oven (as pictured) for a no-fuss main dish. It will require a bit more attention to avoid flare-ups, but you may also cook this lamb on the grill. Plan ahead for this recipe. The lamb needs to marinate overnight.

Prep Time: 12 hours, 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 13 hours, 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice
• 1/2 cup sweet red wine
• 1 large sweet onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1/2 lemon, unpeeled, seeded and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 (5- to 6-pound) leg of lamb, boned and butterflied

Preparation:

Place pomegranate juice, red wine, sweet onion, lemon, garlic, pepper, mint, rosemary, thyme, and salt in a heavy-duty blender. Pulse until the onion is minced. Pour into a heavy-duty zip-top bag.

Add lamb to the bag, squeeze out the air, and gently massage the marinade into the lamb. Refrigerate 12 hours or overnight.

To Roast in the Oven:
Preheat oven to 325 F. Line a 9 x 12-inch baking pan with foil.

Remove lamb from marinade and place in the pan, fat-side up. Discard marinade. Roast in the oven until internal temperature reaches 145 F., about 2 hours. Let rest 15 minutes before cutting slices against the grain.

To Cook on the Grill:
Preheat coals in grill to medium.

Wipe the lamb of excess marinade. Grill, turning occasionally, until internal temperature of lamb reaches 145 F. Let rest 15 minutes before carving slices against the grain.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings