Authentic Greek Roast Lamb Recipes

GREEK SLOW ROASTED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 240°C/465°F (220°C fan). (Note 2)
• Use a small knife to make around 25 incisions all over the lamb, with most on the top.
• Cut around 6 cloves into slivers and stuff them into the incisions.
• Sprinkle the lamb generously all over with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Drizzle with olive oil and rub all over the lamb.
• Place the lamb in a roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes or until it has a nice brown crust.
• Remove from the oven. Turn the oven down to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan).
• 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.
• Cover with lid or with baking/parchment paper then 2 layers of foil. Bake for 3.5 hours. (Note 3) Top up water if it dries out (e.g. Might happen if your lid is loose)
• Remove the roast from the oven and remove the lid/foil. Turn the lamb over so it is the right side up.
• Cover again and roast for a further 2 1/2 hours, or until you can pull meat apart with forks.
• Remove cover and roast for a further 20 - 30 minutes (to brown). (Note 3)
• Remove from the oven and transfer lamb to serving platter. Cover loosely with foil and rest for 30 - 40 minutes.
• Strain liquid into a clear jug. The fat will rise to the top. Scoop/pour most of it off - I get 3/4 - 1 cup. There should be 2 - 3 cups of Sauce left. Adjust salt, pepper and lemon to taste.
• Serve lamb with the Sauce on the side and Truly Crunchy Roast Potatoes (heat oil while lamb is in the oven, then cook potatoes when the lamb is resting).

AUTHENTIC GREEK ROAST LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat oven at 400 F (200 C)
• Wash the lamb with a bit of wine. Pat dry
• In a small bowl mix 2 tsp fine salt and 1 tsp or so ground pepper.
• Rub the lamb with the salt and pepper mixture.
• Cut the garlic cloves in half and place them in a small bowl. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper and toss.
• Make deep slits in the lamb (on both sides) and push in the halved garlic cloves.
• Rub 1 tablespoon dry oregano all over the lamb. And then rub the lamb with 3-4 tbsp olive oil and set aside
• Prepare the potatoes. Peel and soak in water if you have time for about 15-20 minutes (you can do this while you are preparing the lamb). Drain and rinse.
• Cut the potatoes in thick long wedges and place in a bowl.
• Drizzle the potatoes with ½ cup olive oil, and add 1-2 tbsp oregano, 3 tbsp lemon juice. ¾ tsp salt, 3 cloves, 3 allspice, fresh ground pepper, and 2 whole garlic cloves. Toss well, so potatoes are coated with the olive oil.
• Spread the potatoes in a large enough pan so that they are in one layer. Place the leg of lamb on top of the potatoes, top side facing down. Pour enough hot water in the corner of the pan tilting the pan so that water spreads throughout the base of the pan, covering the potatoes halfway. Cover with aluminum foil and put it in the oven.
• Roast for 15 minutes and then lower to 340 F (170 C), remove the foil and roast for another 30 minutes or until lamb has turned brown flip the lamb and cook another 30 minutes on the other side until brown and cooked through.
• Once lamb is done, you can remove it and continue roasting the potatoes until all the water has been absorbed and only the oil is left in the pan.
• Let lamb and potatoes rest for 15 minutes before serving.

GREEK ROAST LEG OF LAMB WITH POTATOES

Steps:

• Wash lamb well and pat dry.
• Finely chop 8 cloves of garlic and place in a glass dish or sturdy plastic bag large enough to hold the lamb.
• Stir in 4 tsps each of oregano and rosemary, 1/4 cup of the oil, the wine, zest and lemon juice.
• Place lamb in marinade, turning to coat well on all sides; cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Crush remaining 6 cloves of garlic and stir together with remaining 2 tsps each oregano and rosemary.
• Remove lamb from marinade (keep marinade) and pierce in several places with the tip of a sharp knife.
• Rub garlic-herb-mustard mixture over lamb, pressing into incisions.
• Coat with remaining 2 tbsp of oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.
• Peel potatoes and cut into large wedges or like cottage fries (or if you are using small, new potatoes, leave them whole).
• Toss in the marinade kept from the lamb and 2 additional tablespoons of olive oil and pour all of this mixture into your pan, around the lamb.
• Roast, uncovered, in 190 degrees C (375 F) oven for 1 ½ hours, turn lamb over to make a crust on the other side, give potatoes a stir and continue to roast for another 45 minutes (total roasting time - 2 hours and 15 minutes).
• Greeks do not like to eat lamb anyway but well-done.
• My Big Fat Greek Wedding was SO WRONG when they showed the platter of (red-pink lamb being passed around).
• Do it the way you prefer in terms of timing, but this is the way it would be served here.
• Serve with plenty of crusty bread to dip into the pan juices, a large, leafy salad, and lots and lots of red wine!

GREEK ROAST LAMB AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In large bowl, whisk together the orange juice, mustard, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir the potatoes into the bowl to coat with orange juice mixture. Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon, and place them into a large roasting pan.
• Cut slits into the lamb meat, and stuff the garlic cloves into the slits. Rub remaining orange juice mixture from bowl all over the lamb, and place the lamb on top of the potatoes in the roasting pan. If there's any remaining orange juice mixture, pour it over the lamb.
• Roast in the preheated oven until the potatoes are tender and the lamb is cooked to medium, about 1 hour. A meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat should read 140 degrees F (60 degrees C). Check every 30 minutes while roasting, and add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of hot water if you find the potatoes are drying out. If the lamb finishes cooking before the potatoes, remove the lamb to a cutting board or serving platter and cover with foil while the potatoes continue to bake in the oven.