Guinness-Brined BBQ Lamb Steaks |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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Guinness, the Irish stout, gives the brine for these simple barbecued lamb steaks much of its punch. Like most dark beers, Guinness has a bittersweet molasses flavor, which is great with lamb. But the hidden power of a Guinness brine is its alcohol content (about 4 percent). Alcohol accelerates the absorption of flavorful components directly into the protein structure of meat, yielding a steak that not only retains about 10 percent more moisture, but also is able to deliver a hit of seasoning with every bite. The flavors of chipotle chiles and cumin in the brine are reinforced with a smoky rub and a dark, pungent Guinness BBQ sauce. A word of warning: the sauce burns easily, so only brush it on the meat at the very end of grilling. In fact it is more flavorful served as a table sauce, although the steaks do look nice varnished with glaze. Ingredients:
2 cups guinness ale |
1 tablespoon coarse salt |
1/4 cup sugar |
1 cup water |
3 tablespoons smokin' rub |
3 pounds bone-in lamb leg steaks (see know-how) |
1 tablespoon canola oil |
1 1/2 cups guinness bbq sauce |
Directions:
1. Combine the Guinness, salt, sugar, water and 2 tablespoons spice rub in a 1-gallon zipper-lock bag. Drop in the lamb steaks, press out the air, and seal. Refrigerate for 2 to 6 hours. 2. Light a grill for direct medium-high heat, about 425°F. 3. Remove the lamb from the brine and pat dry. Discard the brine. Coat the lamb with the oil and season with the rub. Set aside for 10 minutes. 4. Brush the grill grate and rub with oil. Grill the steaks for about 7 minutes per side for medium-rare (135°F on an instant-read thermometer). Baste with a thin layer of the sauce during the last minute of grilling. 5. Rest the meat for 5 minutes before serving. Serve the steaks with the remaining sauce on the side. 6. Keep It Simple: 7. Substitute any kind of chile rub or Cajun seasoning for the Smokin' Rub. Substitute prepared BBQ sauce spiked with a tablespoon of instant powdered espresso for the grilling sauce. Use lamb shoulder chops instead of lamb leg steaks. 8. Know-How: Making Lamb Steaks If you can't find lamb leg steaks, you can get the same cut by slicing a boneless leg of lamb 1/2 inch thick. 9. From Fire It Up: More Than 400 Recipes for Grilling Everything by Andrew Schloss and David Joachim. Text copyright © 2011 by Andrew Schloss and David Joachim; photographs copyright © 2011 by Alison Miksch. Published by Chronicle Books LLC. |
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