BBQ Lamb and Tzatziki Pitta Recipe

For this easy BBQ recipe, locally reared lamb shoulder is marinated in warming spices before being grilled on skewers on the BBQ. Serve with a cooling tzatziki, salad and pitta bread.

A pandemic bbq lamb recipe

We live in strange times, mid-pandemic. The routines of daily life, as we knew them, no longer exist. This is not entirely a bad thing, I don’t think. The events over the last few months have caused many of us to rethink our priorities in life; to look at what really matters.

As a result, there appears to be a discernable shift in our consumer habits. We’re shopping more often in our local independent shops. We’re rediscovering that amazing adventures can be had close to home instead of jetting off on foreign holidays.

I believe that it’s important as we’re coming out of the recent chaos to support small, local businesses as much as we can. Shop local. Holiday local. Let’s support each other as the economy (and us, as a whole) recovers. 

So, with what’s left of the rest of this summer why not grab a friend, load up a van and head to the coast for some outdoor cooking?

For this pandemic recipe post I’ve served up a lamb and tzatziki pitta recipe.

This is a super easy recipe that requires very little prep. The most time-consuming part, which I did at home before I left the house, was cutting a locally reared lamb shoulder into BBQ skewer-sized pieces. 

Why use lamb shoulder for BBQ skewers

With a whole lamb shoulder, you can cut the meat to your desired size and fattiness. Lamb shoulder also has more flavour than other cuts of lamb, and it marinades well, pairing well with a wide variety of spices and flavours.

Don’t throw those extra scraps away either – I’ve put mine in the freezer to roast alongside the bones from my next roast lamb dinner to make some homemade lamb gravy.

Ingredients you’ll need…

• 600 grams of lamb shoulder, cubed
• 1 orange, juice only
• 1 lime, juice only
• 30 ml dark soy sauce
• 1 dried red chilli, crumbled
• 2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground (see notes)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and diced
• a handful of fresh mint, finely chopped
• 120 grams of plain natural yoghurt
• salad leaves, to serve
• thinly sliced red onion, to serve
• 1 lemon, to serve
• 4 x pitta bread

Equipment you’ll need…

• 1 x small portable, reusable BBQ 
• 1 x instant light charcoal bag (because it makes bbq’ing so much easier!)
• 4 x bamboo or metal skewers 
• chopping board
• sharp knife
• spoon
• bowl
• plates or enamel trays to serve

How to make it…

1. Squeeze the juice of one orange and one lime juice your cubed PGI Scotch lamb shoulder.
2. Add the dark soy sauce.
3. Sprinkle over the spices and stir to combine.
4. Leave to marinate for at least 10 minutes (longer if you have time). Get your BBQ lit while you wait (or do steps 1-3 before you leave the house, if you have time – we didn’t as we were chasing the sun.)
5. Thread the marinated lamb onto your skewers.
6. BBQ for 15 minutes, turning occasionally.

This recipe is an absolute pleasure to prep and cook at the beach. Ok, truth be told I just took the pictures, but still. If you’re looking for effortless spur-of-the-moment beach BBQ food, this recipe should be on your radar. 

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