Lamb Marinade
This bold and balanced lamb marinade combines olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, herbs, and warm spices to enhance lamb’s natural richness without overpowering it. Perfect for chops, leg of lamb, shoulder, or kebabs.
Equipment
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 Wisk
- 1 Container or Resealable Bag For storing while marinating
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp cumin subtle warmth, not dominant
Instructions
Mix the Marinade:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce until well combined.
Add Seasonings:
- Stir in brown sugar, salt, black pepper, paprika, dried herbs, and optional cumin. Mix until the sugar is dissolved and everything is evenly incorporated.
Prepare the Lamb:
- Place 2 pounds of lamb in a large bowl or resealable bag.
Marinate:
- Pour the marinade over the lamb, ensuring all sides are evenly coated. Cover or seal and refrigerate.
- Lamb chops: 2 to 4 hours
- Lamb cubes/kebabs: 2 to 4 hours
- Leg of lamb: 4 to 24 hours
- Lamb shoulder: 8 to 24 hours
Notes
- Do not marinate lamb longer than 24 hours, as the acidic ingredients can begin to break down the meat too much and affect texture.
- You can also freeze this marinated lamb. Freezing stops the marination process by stopping the chemical reaction of acids and enzymes. The marination starts to work its magic again while defrosting.
- Discard any leftover marinade that has come into contact with raw meat, if you plan on basting, reserve a small portion before adding it to raw meat.