Fall-Off-the-Bone Smoked Lamb with Spicy Harissa Rub

Lamb is a delicious centerpiece for any special occasion meal. When, prepared low and slow on a smoker and paired with a kick of heat from homemade harissa, a North African chili paste, the smoky, tender lamb takes on an incredible depth of flavor.

In this easy recipe, a bone-in lamb leg is rubbed with fragrant harissa paste made with roasted peppers, aromatic spices, and bright lemon juice. We then smoke it low and slow until fork tender. Every bite of the juicy, spice-crusted meat highlights the nuances in the complex homemade harissa.

What is Harissa?

Harissa is a traditional North African chili paste made from a blend of sweet and hot peppers, spices, garlic, olive oil, and lemon. Known for its fiery kick and smoky complex flavor, harissa often contains spices like caraway, cumin, coriander and mint. The chili-based paste originates from Tunisia, though it is popular across Morocco, Algeria and Libya as well. Beyond just a condiment, harissa is an integral ingredient in North African cuisine.

Having spent the first few years of my life in Algeria and visiting Tunisia and Morocco at an early age, I have vivid memories of harissa-based dishes such as lamb or beef served with cous cous. Therefore, including this recipe on this blog is a deeply personal experience. Harissa is a versatile condiment that can be used as a meat marinade, added to couscous dishes, served alongside bread, or stirred into stews and soups. The combination of heat and intense aroma makes harissa versatile in adding flavor to any dish. Smoked lamb is just one of many dishes that benefit from Harissa’s unique chili zing.

Ingredients

For the Harissa

3 Red bell peppers, roasted, they add a smoky sweet flavor
Spices: a combination of 1 1⁄2 tsp coriander, 1 1⁄2 cumin, and 1 1⁄2 caraway seeds toasted and ground to extract most of the aromas
Extra virgin olive oil drizzled into the food processor or blender to help mix all the ingredients
Red onions, sliced, and roasted, for their color and taste even when cooked
Garlic cloves, I love garlic so I use 6 cloves, feel free to use more or less depending on personal taste
Dried red chiles, I use 2 or 3 dried guajillo peppers, rehydrated. These peppers tend to be mild. You can adjust the heat by either adding more peppers, or including cayenne pepper to the mix
Tomato paste (2 1⁄2 tbsp) provides umami flavor
Lemon juice (juice of about 1 lemon), very important to provide a bright citrus flavor
Guajillo pepper soaking water, if you need it to provide consistency to the paste
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Lamb

Bone-in lamb leg (about 9 lb)
Spices for the rub, 1 tbsp cumin powder, 1 tbsp coriander powder, 1 tbsp sumac (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
300 ml warm water

Instructions

Harissa

Using a griddle, preferably an outdoor one char the bell peppers, garlic cloves and the red onions.

Charring the red bell peppers for the harissa paste

In a food processor, combine all harissa ingredients and blend to a smooth paste. Set aside.

Lamb

Prepare the lamb. In a small bowl, mix together cumin powder, coriander powder, sumac, salt, and pepper. Rub spice mix all over lamb. Let sit 10 minutes.
Place lamb fat-side up on a roasting rack set inside a roasting pan. Spread harissa paste evenly over the lamb. Let it marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. Ideally, refrigerate overnight.

Heat smoker or oven to 280°F. Remove lamb from refrigerator add red onion cut in julienne and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before smoking/roasting.
Smoke/roast lamb uncovered for 2 1⁄2 hours, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 110°F. Remove from heat and add 300 ml (about 10 oz) warm water to the roasting pan, and cover tightly with foil.
Return lamb to smoker/oven and smoke/roast for about 2 1⁄2 hours more, until internal temperature reaches 200°F.
Remove lamb from smoker/oven and let rest 30 minutes, you won’t need to slice it as it will just fall off the bone tender, and you can easily pull it before serving. Enjoy!

Extremely tender and juicy lamb pulled to perfection

The spicy, complex flavors of the homemade harissa paste perfectly complement the smoky, fork-tender lamb in this show-stopping recipe. An overnight harissa marinade ensures every bite is infused with fragrant North African flavors. Smoking the lamb low and slow results in incredibly moist, fall-off-the-bone meat that pulls apart effortlessly. The next time you’re looking for a special occasion meal, give this lamb a try. The depth of flavor is sure to impress any guests.