Lamb Leg Steaks: The Quick, Meaty Cut for the Grill

Lamb leg steaks give you the flavor of a roast leg in a fraction of the time. They are thick slices cut straight across the leg, meaty and lean, and they cook in minutes on the grill or in a hot pan. They are cheaper than chops from the rack or loin, more substantial too, and they take a marinade beautifully. For a fast, satisfying lamb dinner without roasting a whole leg, this is the cut.

Where they come from

Leg steaks are cut across the lamb leg, the large, meaty hind leg. A bone-in steak has a round cross-section of the leg bone in the center, while boneless steaks are cut from a boned leg. They are broad, lean, and meaty, made up of several muscles, which means the grain can run in different directions across a single steak, something worth noting when you carve.

What they taste like

Meaty and full-flavored, like the leg roast they come from, richer than the mild loin but leaner than the shoulder. Because they are lean, their character comes partly from how you season them, and they take a marinade of garlic, lemon, and herbs, or yogurt and spices, especially well. Cooked to medium, they are juicy and tender with a good char from the grill.

How to cook lamb leg steaks

Fast and hot, with a marinade to help. Marinate the steaks for an hour or more to season and tenderize them, then grill or pan-sear them over high heat, two to four minutes a side depending on thickness, and pull them at 130F to 135F for medium-rare or 140F for medium. Because a leg steak has several muscles, it can be a touch firmer than a loin chop, so a marinade and slicing across the grain both help. Rest the steaks a few minutes before serving. We grill over live fire or sear in cast iron, never plastic. Our grilling and pan searing guides cover the method.

Leg steaks are leaner and slightly firmer than the premium chops, so a marinade is more than optional here, and slicing the cooked steak thin across the grain makes every bite tender.

Classic dishes to make

Marinated and grilled leg steaks, rubbed with garlic, lemon, and oregano, are a fast Mediterranean dinner. A yogurt and spice marinade gives them a Middle Eastern turn, sliced into wraps with flatbread and salad. Cut into cubes, the same meat makes excellent kebabs. Leg steaks also pan-sear well with a quick herb butter or a chimichurri. Their size and speed make them a weeknight favorite.

Common mistakes

Skipping the marinade is a missed chance, since it tenderizes and seasons this leaner cut. Overcooking dries the steaks, so pull them at medium-rare to medium. Cooking them too slowly steams rather than sears, so get the heat high. And slicing with the grain instead of across it, on a cut where the grain shifts, leaves bites chewy, so slice thin and against the grain.

How to buy them

Look for steaks cut at least three-quarters of an inch thick, with firm pink to red meat and clean white fat. Bone-in adds flavor, while boneless is easier to eat and slice. They are usually cheaper than rack or loin chops and meatier. Grass-fed lamb from a local farm gives the cleanest flavor, so ask your butcher, who can cut steaks from a leg to your thickness, or use our Find a Farmer directory.

Good substitutes

Lamb loin chops give a more tender, quicker alternative if you want to skip the marinade, though they cost more. Shoulder chops are cheaper and more flavorful but need braising or a careful grill. Cubed leg makes kebabs from the same meat. For the same quick, meaty grilling steak in another animal, a beef sirloin or a pork leg steak fills in.

Storage and leftovers

Keep raw steaks well wrapped in the coldest part of the fridge and cook within two to three days, or freeze for a few months. Cooked leg steaks keep three to four days sealed and are excellent sliced cold over salads or into wraps. Reheat gently, since this lean cut dries out when reheated hard. Marinated steaks can be prepped a day ahead and kept cold until you cook them.

Nutrition

Lamb leg steaks are lean and high in protein, with iron, zinc, and B vitamins and modest fat. Grilling lets some fat drip away, and trimming the surface fat lowers the calories and tames the flavor. A yogurt-based marinade adds little, while an oil-heavy one adds more, so a simple citrus and herb marinade keeps the plate lean.

Frequently asked questions

Should I marinate lamb leg steaks?

Yes. A marinade tenderizes and seasons this leaner, slightly firmer cut, and an hour or more makes a real difference before grilling or searing.

What temperature should lamb leg steaks be?

Pull them at 130F to 135F for medium-rare or 140F for medium, then rest. Slice thin across the grain for tenderness.

Are leg steaks tender?

Fairly, but a little firmer than loin or rib chops, since they come from a working leg. A marinade and slicing across the grain keep them tender.

Bone-in or boneless leg steaks?

Bone-in adds flavor and looks good on the plate. Boneless is easier to eat, slice, and cube for kebabs.

What to serve with it

Grilled leg steaks go with flatbread, a chopped salad, and a garlicky yogurt or tahini sauce. Pan-seared, they suit roasted potatoes and greens with a herb butter. Something fresh and sharp, pickled onions or a squeeze of lemon, balances the rich meat, and a bold red or a dry rose works in the glass.

Turning leg steaks into kebabs

Leg steaks and kebabs are close cousins, since both come from the same lean, meaty leg. If you would rather skewer than grill a whole steak, cut the meat into even cubes, marinate them the same way, and thread them with peppers and onion. The cubes cook fast over high heat and stay juicy if you pull them at medium and do not crowd the skewer. It is a good way to stretch one leg steak across a plate of vegetables, and the marinade does double duty as both seasoning and a glaze brushed on at the end.

Learn more

Back to the lamb leg guide and the Lamb Meat Wiki. For the whole roast, see the leg of lamb roast, or find good lamb through Find a Farmer.