Marinated Lamb Backstrap

Round grey plate with a serving of sliced Lamb Backstrap, sitting on yoghurt sauce, with a chickpea cucumber side salad.

My Marinated Lamb Backstrap is a crowd pleaser. Lamb backstrap is a small, boneless, premium cut of meat that comes from the back of the lamb. It is lean yet tender, cooks quickly and is full of flavour making it perfect for busy nights or when entertaining. The lamb is infused with traditional Mediterranean flavours and then seared in a frying pan. We serve the succulent Greek style lamb with a natural companion, Tzatziki Sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Marinating Time 30

Total Time 55

Servings people

Calories 390kcal

Author Alexandra Cook - It's Not Complicated Recipes

Ingredients

For the Lamb and Marinade:

2 lamb backstrap – approx. 500 g (1.1 lb) total weight See Note 1
⅓ cup (80 ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice See Note 2
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary – finely chopped
3 large garlic cloves - grated
½ teaspoon white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cooking sea salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried mint

For the Cucumber and Yoghurt Dip:

½ cup Greek yoghurt
¼ cup Lebanese cucumber - skin on and finely diced, about ⅓ cucumber
1 small garlic clove – grated
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves – firmly packed and finely chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

Add all of the marinade ingredients to a small bowl and mix to combine.
Pour the marinade into a flat dish, large enough to hold the lamb backstraps. Add the lamb to the marinade and turn them over to coat both sides.
Cover the dish with cling wrap and place in the fridge.
Marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
Remove from the fridge 15 minutes before you intend to cook it to allow it to come to room temperature.
Heat a heavy based frying pan on medium-high heat.
Remove the lamb from the marinade (allowing excess marinade to drip off - no need to pat it dry). Discard the marinade. Add the lamb to the frying pan.
Cook for 4 minutes and turn the meat over. Cook a further 3 minutes for medium cooked lamb or until a thermometer inserted measures 63 degrees C (145 F).
Remove from the frying pan and set aside to rest for 3-4 minutes.
While the meat rests, prepare the Cucumber and Yoghurt Dip by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl, and seasoning to taste.
Slice the lamb and serve with the Cucumber and Yoghurt Dip.

Notes

Lamb backstrap: this is a versatile, premium cut of meat with an elongated shape. It is lean with a mild flavour and lends itself to various cooking methods. You can sear it in a hot pan, as in this recipe, cook it on the barbecue or in the oven. For this recipe, we recommend you marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons). For readers located elsewhere in the world, please use 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon for each tablespoon listed.
Storage: once cooled, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Alternatively, you can freeze them, wrapped well in cling wrap and then foil to prevent freezer burn, for up to 2 months. Be sure to label and date them. If the lamb has been at room temperature for 2 hours, for safety reasons it should be discarded.
Reheating: I prefer to not reheat leftovers as they may become tough. The meat is still delicious cold so I like to slice it thinly and add to a sandwich or salad. But if you wish, you can reheat it in a 150 degrees C (300 F) oven on a baking tray or heatproof platter covered firmly with foil. Heat for about 10 minutes. For safety purposes, the centre of the lamb should register a temperature of 63 degrees C (145 F). You can also reheat it over medium-low heat in a frying pan with a small amount of oil and a lid on the frying pan. Again, check the internal temperature as above.

Nutrition