Lamb is an incredibly versatile BBQ meat, and in this recipe post, I’m sharing three super quick and easy Asian-inspired lamb marinades for lamb steaks, chops and kebabs.
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- Why you should choose lamb for your next BBQ
- How long should BBQ lamb be marinated for?
- Why should we marinate lamb?
- Tips for marinating the lamb
- I don’t have dark soy sauce, can I use regular soy sauce?
- What are the best lamb cuts for the BBQ?
- What to serve with this BBQ lamb
- Three Easy Asian BBQ Lamb Marinades
- Pin this recipe for later
- Other lamb recipes you might like
Why you should choose lamb for your next BBQ
I love a good barbecue. There’s something intensely primal and satisfying about cooking outdoors over hot coals. Juicy tender meat, those delicious crispy charred bits—it’s one of my favourite ways to cook and eat.
Lamb is a perfect BBQ meat – it’s inexpensive these days and it’s incredibly versatile too.
Also, because lamb is one of those meats that can be served medium-rare, you don’t have to be as careful about making sure it’s cooked all the way through as with other lighter meats.
What you’ll need for this BBQ Lamb Marinade Recipe
With just a few simple store-cupboard ingredients, you can whip up these three delicious Asian-inspired BBQ marinades in minutes.
The quantities for these marinades are sufficient for four lamb leg steaks, eight lamb chops and 300 grams of cubed lamb.
1. Marinade for lamb leg steaks
- 4 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp garlic puree
- 3 spring onions, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
2. Marinade for grilled lamb chops
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp runny honey
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 0.5 tsp Chinese Five Spice
3. Marinade for lamb kebabs
- 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp runny honey
- 1 tsp ginger puree
- 1 tsp chilli puree
- 0.5 tsp Chinese Five Spice
Instructions: Simply mix the ingredients for the three marinades in separate bowls, add your lamb to each and marinate for a few hours.
How long should BBQ lamb be marinated for?
- 4-5 hours for smaller cuts like chops, steaks and kebabs.
- 12-24 hours for larger cuts like butterflied lamb legs.
Why should we marinate lamb?
The acid present in a lamb marinade helps to break down the tissue of the meat, allowing moisture to be absorbed. This results in a more tender dish infused with the flavours used in the marinade.
Tips for marinating the lamb
- Prepare your marinades in the dishes you are going to marinate your meat in to save washing up.
- Alternatively, pour the marinade into a sealable plastic bag before adding the meat.
- Turn the plastic bag, or flip the meat over in the dish, every few hours to distribute the marinade evenly.
- Discard the remaining marinade.
I don’t have dark soy sauce, can I use regular soy sauce?
Dark soy sauce is thicker with a richer flavour, and it also contains less salt than regular soy sauce. It’s often used in marinades for meat, but yes, you can substitute with regular or light soy sauce. You won’t get the same rich flavour or the vibrant red colour though.
What are the best lamb cuts for the BBQ?
- Lamb leg steaks: a lean cut that cooks quickly and evenly.
- Lamb chops: flavoursome and versatile, perfect for the BBQ.
- Cubed lamb leg: a lean cut that lends itself to quick cooking on the BBQ. You can use a cubed lamb shoulder too, which is more frequently found in the supermarket, but the shoulder tends to be fattier and is best for slow cooking.
Tips for BBQing lamb
- Bring your lamb to room temperature before cooking, as this will help the meat cook more evenly.
- Prepare your barbecue and make sure the charcoal is white so it’ll be at the best cooking heat.
- Using BBQ tongs, transfer your marinated lamb to your barbecue grill.
- Turn the meat every few minutes to prevent burning.
- If your lamb is cooking too quickly or starting to burn, move it to a cooler area of the barbecue or raise the grill level.
How long to grill lamb leg steaks
- Medium-rare: 6 minutes or when the internal temperature reaches 60°C.
- Well done: 8 minutes or when the internal temperature reaches 70°C.
Lamb leg steaks are best grilled and served medium-rare (that means they’re still pink inside!). The NHS says you can eat whole cuts of lamb when they are pink inside—or “rare”—as long as they are cooked on the outside. This is because any bacteria are generally located on the outside of the meat.
How long to grill lamb chops
- Medium-rare: 6 minutes or when the internal temperature reaches 60°C.
- Well done: 8 minutes or when the internal temperature reaches 70°C.
How long to grill lamb kebabs
- Well done: 12-14 minutes or when the internal temperature reaches 70°C.
If you use metal skewers for your lamb kebabs, the metal will conduct the heat towards the inside of the lamb, cooking it more quickly. If you’re using soaked wooden skewers, increase the time by a few minutes.
What to serve with this BBQ lamb
Personally, I like to serve an Asian-style cold noodle salad with this recipe. Cook your favourite egg noodles, drain them, and rinse them under cold water to halt the cooking process.
Drizzle the cold noodles with a little sesame oil, toss with julienned carrots, sliced radishes, and sliced mangetout, and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
Recipe Difficulty Levels
Easy
Requires basic cooking skills and ingredients you most likely already have in your kitchen.
Moderate
Requires more experience, preparation and/or cooking time. You may have to source special ingredients.
Challenging
Recipes requiring more advanced skills and experience and maybe some special equipment.
Three Easy Asian BBQ Lamb Marinades
Ingredients
Marinade for lamb leg steaks
- 4 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp Canadian maple syrup
- 1 tbsp garlic puree
- 3 spring onions finely chopped
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
Marinade for lamb chops
- 2 tbsp Hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp runny honey
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 0.5 tsp Chinese Five Spice
Marinade for lamb kebabs
- 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp runny honey
- 1 tsp lazy ginger puree
- 1 tsp chilli puree
- 0.5 tsp Chinese Five Spice
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Equipment
Instructions
Marinade for the lamb leg steaks
- Place 4 tbsp dark soy sauce, 3 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tbsp Canadian maple syrup, 1 tbsp garlic puree, 3 spring onions, finely chopped and 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil into a bowl and mix together.
- Add your lamb leg steaks, cover, and marinate for several hours.
Marinade for the lamb chops
- Place 2 tbsp Hoisin sauce, 1 tbsp runny honey, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar and 0.5 tsp Chinese Five Spice into a bowl and mix together.
- Add your lamb chops, cover and marinate for several hours.
Marinade for the lamb kebabs
- Place 3 tbsp dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp runny honey, 1 tsp lazy ginger puree, 1 tsp chilli puree and 0.5 tsp Chinese Five Spice in a bowl and mix well.
- Add your cubed lamb meat, cover and marinate for several hours.
Video
Nutrition
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This looks so delicious!!! Makes me want to run to the store and get all the ingredients. You know what, that’s what I’m going to do on the weekend. Thanks for this!
Great post! Lamb is one of my husbands favourite meats but I have to admit I very rarely cook it. That’s because I never know what to do with it, so this post is so helpful! I will definitely be giving some of these ideas a try during our next bbq!
Hello! We LOVE lamb in any shape or form. And … I actually had all the ingredients on hand for all three lamb marinades. While I was at it, I actually made all three marinades, just to have on hand. From past experience, I’ve found the marinades last a few weeks in the refrig. We’ve having company this weekend and since I have loin lamb chops in the freezer, I’ll try out one or two of the marinades. Thanks so much for sharing. I’ll be back to try some of your other recipes.
I’ve never tried lamb before, and this recipe sure does make it look delicious.
I love Asian flavours so having the lamb, which is my favourite meat, marinated in the flavours does sound yum! Lovely photos too by the way
Oh I am going to try out those kebabs on my friends this weekend, they look amazing!
We generally don’t tend to have a lot of lamb as it can be quite fatty but these look so nice. The marinades look very tasty x
This all looks incredible! You can’t beat a good bbq marinade! I can’t wait for the sunny weather so we can get the barbecue out!
I am loving the sound of all the marinades! Lamb is such a versatile meat, definitely my favourite by far! Bring on the good weather and I can give these a try! 🙂 Sim