With grilling season underway, Superior Farms knows that home cooks all over the country are enjoying the opportunity to bring new flavors to their barbecues. American lamb is a great choice for any home cook that wants to experience a protein that is different from the usual chicken or beef but delicious, nonetheless. Superior Farms realizes that many home cooks that are new to lamb may not know some of the spices that pair well with a grilled cut and, here, provides a short list of some of the best spices to pack tons of flavor into your grilled lamb.
Cumin
Cumin provides an earthy bitterness that pairs exceptionally well with the flavors of lamb. Cumin can be used either ground or whole to form a crust on your lamb as it grills. While the flavors of cumin raw can be a bit brash, its flavors begin to mellow out in high heat to create a grassier and more vibrant flavor as the meat cooks. Cumin is also a great choice because its bitterness goes well with the light char that you can achieve with grilling, and the spice infuses flavor into the fat of lamb as it melts with no extra effort on your part.
Harissa
Harissa is a North African chili paste that contains ingredients such as roasted peppers, garlic paste, coriander seeds, caraway seeds, cumin, and olive oil. Harissa is growing more popular in American cooking because it provides standout flavors to proteins such as lamb. Adding some harissa to your lamb marinade before grilling imparts a spicy, smoky flavor profile that pairs well with the char from the grill. Harissa also gives a fresh flavor to grilled lamb- but be careful not to include too much into your marinade if you are sensitive to spicier additions.
Rosemary
Rosemary is considered a common spice for lamb, whether it be grilled, pan seared, baked, or stewed. The herbaceous and woodsy flavor that rosemary imparts onto lamb is unlike any other spice, and rosemary also combines well with other common additions to spice rubs and marinades such as garlic and citrus. Rosemary can be added chopped or whole to grilled lamb, but always be sure to avoid exposing it to too much direct heat or it may alter its flavor.
Curry Powder
Curry powder is a great addition for grilled lamb because it includes spices that capture all the most important flavors to pair with it. The spices used to create curry powder can vary, but many will include a mix of cumin, turmeric, fenugreek, and others that are commonly included in Indian cuisine. There are also many different varieties of curry powder available such as Jamaican curry powder and vadouvan- a French variation. If you are interested in using curry powder for grilling lamb, consider making your own mix that takes your palate into account.
