Rotisserie · Recipe
Harissa rotisserie leg of lamb that'll stop the whole street
A butterflied leg of lamb on the spit, rubbed down with harissa, cumin, and fresh mint — it's the kind of cook that draws neighbours over the fence. Punchy flavour, incredible bark, and juicy all the way through.
Why lamb on the rotisserie is next level
Lamb leg has a lot going on — different muscle groups, varying thickness, a good amount of fat. On a static grill that's a problem. On the rotisserie, the constant rotation self-bastes the whole joint as the fat renders, and the even heat means every part cooks at the same rate. You get a deeply caramelised crust on the outside and meat that's pink and juicy all the way through.
Butterflying the leg (getting your butcher to remove the bone and open it out flat) makes it much easier to skewer evenly and gives you more surface area for that harissa crust. Ask your butcher to do it — it takes them two minutes.
ChefPro tip
Use two spit prongs instead of one when threading the butterflied lamb — it stops the meat spinning freely on the rod and ensures the whole joint rotates together. Game changer for even cooking.
Ingredients
The lamb
- Butterflied leg of lamb ~2 kg
- Harissa paste 3 tbsp
- Olive oil 3 tbsp
- Ground cumin 2 tsp
- Smoked paprika 1 tsp
- Garlic cloves, grated 4
- Lemon, zested + juiced 1
- Flaky sea salt 2 tsp
- Black pepper 1 tsp
Mint yoghurt sauce
- Greek yoghurt 1 cup
- Fresh mint, chopped handful
- Garlic clove, grated 1
- Lemon juice 1 tbsp
- Olive oil 1 tbsp
- Salt to taste
How to do it
- 1Make the marinade. Mix the harissa, olive oil, cumin, paprika, grated garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper into a paste. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- 2Marinate the lamb. Score the lamb all over with a knife — about 1 cm deep — so the marinade gets right in. Rub it generously all over both sides, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Overnight is better.
- 3Come to temperature. Pull the lamb out of the fridge an hour before cooking. Cold meat hitting a hot spit cooks unevenly on the outside before the centre has a chance to come up.
- 4Roll and skewer. Roll the butterflied lamb back into a loose log shape and thread it onto the spit rod. Secure with both prongs — tighten them firmly so the meat doesn't slip. Give it a spin by hand to check the balance.
- 5Set up for indirect heat. Get your BBQ to around 180–200°C with indirect heat. Place a drip tray underneath the lamb — the drippings make an incredible sauce base later. Start the motor and close the lid.
- 6Cook to your liking. Check the internal temperature after 1.5 hours. See the doneness guide below — pull it when it's 5°C shy of your target, as it'll carry over while resting.
- 7Rest it properly. Remove the lamb from the spit, tent loosely with foil, and rest for 15 minutes minimum. This is non-negotiable — the juices need time to redistribute or they all end up on the board.
- 8Make the mint yoghurt. While the lamb rests, mix all the sauce ingredients together. Taste and adjust — it should be bright, garlicky, and fresh. This is what ties the whole dish together.
Doneness guide
Pink, juicy, the sweet spot for lamb
Slightly pink, tender, crowd-pleaser
Fully cooked, still moist if rested well
What to serve it with
Warm flatbreads, roasted capsicum, a big bowl of the mint yoghurt, and some pickled red onion if you've got them. Let people pull the lamb apart and build their own plate — it's that kind of cook.
Don't waste the drippings
The tray under the lamb will collect spiced, herby drippings — deglaze it with a splash of red wine or chicken stock over direct heat and you've got a ready-made sauce. It takes 3 minutes and tastes like you spent all day on it.