Crushed-Herb Lamb

1. 1

   Trim and discard fat and any transparent membrane from surface of lamb.

2. 2

   Peel garlic and shallots and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slivers. Pierce lamb all over with the tip of a small knife and insert garlic and shallots into cuts (lamb will look like a porcupine). Also tuck 2 teaspoons rock salt into cuts, spacing evenly over meat.

3. 3

   Mix thyme, rosemary, pepper, and olive oil. Pat mixture all over the lamb.

4. 4

   If cooking over charcoal briquets, ignite 60 briquets on firegrate of a barbecue with a lid. When coals are dotted with gray, about 25 minutes, push an equal number of coals to opposite sides of grate. Add 5 briquets to each mound of coals. Put a foil drip pan between coals. Set grill in place.

5. 5

   If using a gas barbecue, turn heat to high and close lid for at least 10 minutes. Adjust burners for indirect grilling (heat on parallel sides of grill but not in center). Set a drip pan between burners and put grill in place.

6. 6

   Put lamb on grill over drip pan, but not directly over heat. Cover barbecue; open all vents. (If cooking over charcoal, after 30 minutes add 5 more briquets to each mound of coals.) Cook until a meat thermometer inserted through thickest part of meat to bone registers 125u00b0 for rare (1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes), or 135u00b0 for medium-rare (about 1 hour and 10 to 30 minutes).

7. 7

   Transfer meat to a platter and let rest 10 minutes. Carve, and salt to taste.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.