Lamb on the BBQ — How Different Cultures Grill Lamb?
Lamb is the most internationally grilled meat in the world. From the mechoui lamb in Morocco, slow-cooked for hours in an earthen oven, to the quick lamb chops on a New Zealand grill – no two countries prepare lamb on the BBQ in the same way. This is an overview of the best lamb techniques and seasonings per culture.
Lamb on the BBQ in Morocco: mechoui and kofta
Morocco has the richest lamb tradition in the world. The mechoui – a whole lamb coated with butter spices and slow-roasted for hours – is the quintessential celebratory lamb dish. The seasoning is simple yet aromatic: melted butter, cumin, garlic, coriander, and salt. The lamb cooks over indirect heat for four to six hours until the meat falls off the bone.
Besides mechoui, charcoal-grilled lamb chops with chermoula are an everyday classic. The chermoula marinade of coriander, cumin, paprika, garlic, and lemon infuses the meat for at least two hours before grilling over high direct heat.
Read the full story about Moroccan grilling tradition: Moroccan Grilling — Mechoui, Ras el Hanout, and Kofta.
Lamb on the BBQ in Turkey: shish kebab and lamb chops
In Turkey, lamb is the prestige meat par excellence. Kuzu şiş (lamb shish) consists of diced lamb shoulder or leg marinated in yogurt, garlic, cumin, and olive oil – the yogurt enzymatically tenderizes the meat and gives it a beautiful grilled crust. Lamb chops (pirzola) are grilled on the mangal with minimal seasoning: sea salt, pepper, and kekik (dried thyme/oregano).
The special touch for Turkish lamb: the finishing with sumac. This tart and fresh spice sprinkle is scattered over the grilled lamb immediately after serving – the acidity cuts through the fat and lightens the flavor of the meat.
Read the full story: Turkish Grilling — Mangal, Köfte, and Adana Kebab.
Lamb on the BBQ in New Zealand: the world champion of lamb production
New Zealand produces more lamb per capita than any other country in the world – and its quality is legendary. New Zealand lamb is raised on grassy pastures year-round, which gives it a mild, slightly sweet flavor profile that is less gamey than European or Middle Eastern lamb.
On the New Zealand barbie, lamb is minimally seasoned – sea salt, pepper, and rosemary are the standard. Lamb chops are grilled over high direct heat for a beautiful char on the outside and a pink center. The hāngi – the traditional Māori earth oven – is used for large feasts: whole lamb cooks in the earth on hot stones for four to six hours.
The Māori concept of the hāngi is one of the oldest low & slow techniques in the world. More: Hāngi — Wikipedia.
Lamb on the BBQ in Spain: lamb rib and lechazo asado
In Spain — particularly in Castile — young lamb (lechazo) is the most prized grilled meat. Lechazo asado is a milk-fed lamb (6–8 weeks old) roasted in a wood-fired earthen oven until the skin is crispy and golden brown. The seasoning is Castilian minimalist: sea salt, garlic, and a splash of water in the roasting pan — nothing more is needed for this delicate meat.
In Andalusia and the Basque Country, lamb chops (chuletillas) are grilled directly over charcoal: thin, quick, and crispy. In the Basque Country, they are sometimes briefly dipped in a dish of vinegar and garlic before serving — a simple but effective flavoring.
Read the full story: Spanish Grilling — Asador, Iberian Pork, and Pinchos Morunos.
Lamb on the BBQ in Argentina: the silent star of the asado
Although beef plays the absolute leading role in Argentinian asado, lamb in Patagonian Argentina – the cold and windy south of the country – is the prestige grilled meat. Cordero a la cruz is a whole lamb stretched on a metal cross next to an open fire, slow-roasted over radiant heat for three to four hours. The meat only gets coarse sea salt – the Argentinian law of meat.
In Buenos Aires and the Pampas, lamb appears as costillas de cordero (lamb ribs) on the parrilla – grilled over low heat with sea salt and chimichurri on the side.
Read the full story: Argentinian Grilling — Asado and Parrilla.
Lamb on the BBQ at home: the best spices per cut
The choice of spices for lamb greatly depends on the cut. Lamb chops — thin, cooked quickly over high heat — call for Mediterranean spices: rosemary, thyme, garlic. Or the Middle Eastern approach: cumin, coriander, sumac. Lamb shoulder — thick, fatty, perfect for low & slow — can handle a powerful spice rub: ras el hanout-style or Shawarma-style with turmeric and cumin. Rack of lamb — a presentation piece, requires an elegant herb crust of rosemary, mustard, and garlic.
Our Shawarma BBQ Rub is the most versatile rub for lamb: cumin, coriander, and turmeric align with both Moroccan and Turkish lamb traditions.
Check out Lamb Shoulder on the BBQ — low & slow autumn recipe for a step-by-step approach. And BBQ Spices by Country for the complete global overview.
The perfect rub for lamb on the BBQ
From Mediterranean rosemary to Middle Eastern cumin-coriander — discover which rub suits your lamb dish.
Shawarma BBQ RubStarter Pack · 3 flavors