Asian-inspired BBQ Lamb Marinade – 3 Easy Recipes

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.

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.

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.

Pin this recipe for later

Other lamb recipes you might like