6 Hour Moroccan Smoked Lamb

Ingredients

• 1, 7 lb lamb shoulder
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chile powder
• 1 tsp.ground allspice
• 3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp.smoked paprika
• 3/4 tsp. turmeric
• 3/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 3/4 tsp. finely ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 tbsp. butter, melted
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup dried apricots, cut in half
• 1/4 cup apricot preserves
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• Hickory wood chips
• olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Marinate the lamb a day ahead of time (or at least 2 hours ahead). Using a pairing knife, make a series of incisions around the lamb and squeeze in the garlic. Mix together all the dry ingredients above butter and rub the lamb really well. Place it in a vacuum seal bag or bringing bag, and refrigerate 2-24 hours.
2. Prepare your smoker. Soak wood chips at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour prior to use. Light charcoal in the green egg and leave the top open for about 5 minutes until it begins to smoke. Place about 2-3 handfuls of the wood chips on and around the charcoal, then place the drip pan (plate setter) in, then a metal tin for the drippings, and finally the cooking grid. Close the green egg and make sure the draft door is closed about the size of a penny, and the metal top is halfway closed (as indicated in my pictures).
3. Let the temperature come to a steady 250 degrees F, and then put the lamb roast on the cooking grid and close. Place the larger end of the lamb roast towards the back, as this is always the hottest part of the egg. Be sure to monitor the smoker for about 10-15 minutes to make sure the temperature stays steady at 250 degrees F. Smoke the meat for 4 hours at this temperature, monitoring about every 45 minutes.
4. After 4 hours, remove the lamb, wrap in foil and place in a small foil dish. Pour the melted butter, honey, water, and apricots over the lamb and wrap. Place it back on the smoker for 1 hour.
5. Remove it from the smoker and allow it to rest for 30 minutes, still wrapped. Then, unwrap the lamb, baste with 1/4 cup apricot preserves and 1 tbsp. lemon juice, and place it back in the smoker for the final 30 minutes unwrapped.
6. Once you remove the lamb from the green egg, season with olive oil, salt, pepper, and parsley, and allow it to rest for 20 minutes. Place it on a wood cutting board and slice against the grain. I save the drippings from the pan and use as a gravy and serve with rice!

Notes