maple-brined and apple-smoked lamb butt

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• brine:
• 1 gallon cold water
• 2 cups pure maple syrup
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1 (2 1/2 pound) lamb butt roast
• apple wood chips
• spray:
• 3/4 cup apple vinegar
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Recipe

Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 12 hrs

Ready Time: 14 hrs 55 mins


• combine water, 2 cups maple syrup, and salt in a large pot; stir until brine is evenly combined, about 2 minutes. add lamb butt to brine; refrigerate for 2 hours 45 minutes.
• soak wood chips in a bowl of warm water while lamb is brining.
• drain wood chips and place in the smoker. place grill rack on top. remove lamb from brine and place on grill rack in smoker, discarding brine.
• turn smoker temperature to 280 degrees f (138 degrees c). combine apple vinegar and 1/4 cup maple syrup in a clean spray bottle.
• cook lamb in the smoker, spraying every 45 minutes with vinegar spray, until internal temperature of lamb reaches 195 degrees f (90 degrees c) to 200 degrees f (93 degrees c), about 12 hours. transfer lamb to a cutting board and slice or shred.