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Greek Slow Roast Leg of Lamb

This is how the Greeks make roast lamb – cooked until tender, half braised in a garlic lemon flavoured liquid that transforms into a luscious sauce – no mucking around with gravy!

Ingredients:

  • 12 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • 3.5 kg leg of lamb
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 tsp paprika powder
  • 3 tsp garlic powder (or sub with onion powder)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 large onions, quartered
  • 10 sprigs of thyme
  • 3 sprigs rosemary
  • 3 tsp dried oregano
  • 3 dried bayleaves (or 5 fresh)
  • 1/2 cup / 125 ml lemon juice (2 – 3 lemons), plus more to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups / 375 ml white wine (or sub with chicken stock, low salt)
  • 2 cups / 500 ml chicken stock 

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 220°C fan
  2. Use a small knife to make around 25 incisions all over the lamb, with most on the top.
  3. Cut around 6 cloves into slivers and stuff them into the incisions.
  4. Sprinkle the lamb generously all over with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Drizzle with olive oil and rub all over the lamb.
  5. Place the lamb in a roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes or until it has a nice brown crust.
  6. Remove from the oven. Turn the oven down to 160°C fan.
  7. Turn the lamb upside down. Pour / place all the remaining ingredients in the pan around the lamb (including remaining garlic cloves). Fill the roasting pan with hot water so it comes up about 1/4 – 1/3 of the way up the height of the lamb.
  8. Cover with lid or with baking/parchment paper then 2 layers of foil. Bake for 3.5 hours. Top up water if it dries out (e.g. Might happen if your lid is loose)
  9. Remove the roast from the oven and remove the lid/foil. Turn the lamb over so it is the right side up.
  10. Cover again and roast for a further 2 1/2 hours, or until you can pull meat apart with forks.
  11. Remove cover and roast for a further 20 – 30 minutes (to brown).
  12. Remove from the oven and transfer lamb to serving platter. Cover loosely with foil and rest for 30 – 40 minutes.
  13. Strain liquid into a clear jug. The fat will rise to the top. Scoop/pour most of it off – get about 3/4 – 1 cup. There should be 2 – 3 cups of Sauce left. Adjust salt, pepper and lemon to taste.
  14. Serve lamb with the Sauce on the side and crunchy roast potatoes.

Recipe by Recipe Tin Eats

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