Leg of lamb is a cut prized for its tenderness and delicate lamb flavour. You’ll love the tasty Moroccan spice seasoning we use today. It’s the perfect match with the backstrap!
Moroccan lamb back
This plate of food you see in this post is my idea of a perfect meal to share with family and friends on special occasions.
It’s a little special, as lamb shoulder is a tender, lean cut with a delicate lamb flavor.
It tastes and sounds exotic (“it’s a ras el hanout spice mix, honey!”). But it’s made with the spices I’ve always eaten.
It’s quick to cook. 4 minutes per side.
And it looks so inviting when you slice it and then put it all on a platter on a colorful bed of pearl couscous or traditional couscous!
So if all of this, or some of it, sounds good to you too, I think I have something really special for you today. I could eat this all summer. That Moroccan twist of spice with the lamb is simply out of this world!
You’ll see me cook this on the stovetop in the recipe video below. I would have preferred to grill it. But it was raining the day of the video. So she was fed up.
I know, I know, your heart bleeds for me, having to settle for a baked Moroccan lamb shoulder for lunch! 😂
Ingredients for the Moroccan lamb slip
You need…drum roll please…lamb strap to make this dish!! Ha ha, sorry, couldn’t resist. 😂
Lambskin back it is also known as loin eye. It is a lean cut of meat, very tender and with a delicate lamb flavour. It is the lamb equivalent of beef tenderloin and pork tenderloin (recipe here!).
Along with lamb cutlets and rack of lamb, it is one of the finest cuts of lamb, although of these three, the lamb sub is usually the best value for money. You will also sometimes find it at discounted prices here in Sydney. For example, at the time of writing it is on special offer for A$30/kg per Harris Farms ($10/lb/£17/kg).
Moroccan spice mix – Ras el hanout
The spice blend used in this Moroccan lamb strap is ras el hanout, a spice blend common in North Africa used in many dishes such as chicken tagine and vegetable tagine. And it’s exceptionally fantastic with lamb!
You can buy ready-made mixes, but homemade is much better because the balance of flavors can be unpredictable from brand to brand, while the cheaper ones are just plain wrong!
Here’s what you need: pantry staples!
You won’t be without a spice (maybe even two). Reimburse yourself by calling those you have!
How to cook lamb strap
Take care to cook gently to ensure you don’t overcook the lamb. It’s a lean cut of meat, so if you overcook it, it will be dry and tough. Blush pink is what you want for juicy, tender color!
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Mix Moroccan spices mix the ingredients together.
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Back belt of coat – Rub the back strap with olive oil, then sprinkle it with the spice mix. If time permits, marinate for 1 hour to allow the spice flavors to lightly penetrate the meat. If you don’t have time that’s fine, just cook right away. The spice mix has so much flavor that you’ll still get a good hit with every bite!
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Cooked lamb for 4 minutes on each side over medium-high heat on stovetop or barbecue, or until internal temperature reaches 59°C/138°F for perfect reddish pink, medium rare. This is the internal temperature at which the lamb will be juiciest. Since it is a lean cut, the more you cook it above this temperature, the less juicy the meat will be.
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Rest the lamb for 3 minutes on a grill. This step is important because it allows the juices to redistribute themselves among the fibers of the meat, so that they stay in the lamb when you cut it and ultimately end up where you want: in your mouth. If you skip resting, the juices of the meat, instead of remaining in the fibers of the meat, escape into the plate when you cut the meat, so the meat will be less juicy to eat.
Rack? You can just lay the back strap on a plate, but a rack is better because it keeps the bottom from sweating and getting wet, which means losing some of the spice crust.
Serving – Once rested, slice the lamb into 0.75 – 1 cm thick slices. Then serve with the yogurt sauce on the side!
What to serve with Moroccan lamb strap
The lamb is pictured in this post on a stack of pearl couscous salad that I shared over the weekend with the intention of suggesting it for this lamb. It’s full of bright flavors thanks to a lemon dressing and a handful of coriander/coriander and dill. I describe it as Mediterranean flavors, but it could easily be described as a Middle Eastern salad which may have a similar fresh flavor profile.
Here are some other sides that I think will go particularly well with this lamb:
I’d love to hear if you have any other ideas on what to serve with this lamb backstrap! I feel like there are so many possibilities and it would be great to get inspired. 🙂 – Nagi x
See how to do it
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Moroccan lamb back
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooked: 10 minutes
Marination and rest:: 1 Now 3 minutes
Principal
Middle Eastern, Moroccan
Portions4
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ingredients
Moroccan spice mix (ras el hanout, note 2):
Yogurt sauce (for serving):
Instructions
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Yogurt Based Sauce – Mix the ingredients. Store in the refrigerator until needed.
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Moroccan spice blend – Mix the spices in a small bowl.
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Back belt of coat – Dry the back straps with a paper towel, then rub all over with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle the spice mix over the lamb shoulders – use it all! Set aside for 1 hour to marinate (you can sauté if time allows).
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Cooked – Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the lamb shanks for 4 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 59°C/138°F.
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Rest – Transfer to a rack placed over a tray (or simply a plate) to rest for 3 minutes. Cut into slices 0.75 – 1 cm thick. Serve with yogurt sauce!
Notes on the recipe:
2. Spices – You won’t be without a spice (maybe even two). Make up for it by calling those you have.
3. Leftovers it will keep for 3 days in the fridge.
4. Nutrition it makes 4 servings and assumes all of the yogurt sauce has been consumed, which may not be the case. I never like to run out of sauce! 🙂
Nutritional information:
Calories: 325cal (16%)Carbohydrates: 3G (1%)Protein: 31G (62%)Fat: 21G (32%)Saturated fats: 5G (31%)Polyunsaturated fats: 2GMonounsaturated fat: 12GCholesterol: 85mg (28%)Sodium: 1121mg (49%)Potassium: 369mg (11%)Fiber: 0.3G (1%)Sugar: 2G (2%)Vitamin A: 32UI (1%)C vitamin: 2mg (2%)Soccer: 74mg (7%)Iron: 3mg (17%)
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