Greek Slow Roasted Leb of Lamb
Recipe provided by: recipetineats.com
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 7 hours | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 12 cloves of garlic, peeled
- 7 lb / 3.5 kg leg of lamb (Note 1)
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tsp paprika powder
- 3 tsp garlic powder (or sub with onion powder)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large onions, quartered (white, brown, yellow, red)
- 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 broth/stock, low salt)
- 2 cups / 500 ml chicken broth (liquid chicken stock)
Guacamole with Feta Crumbles
Use Feta cheese to enhance the flavor of your guacamole.
- Dice ripe avocado and smash with a fork in bowl
- Add diced tomatoes and finely chopped green onion
- Add cumin, dash of sea salt and lemon juice (to taste)
- Top with finely chopped fresh cilantro and crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 240°C/465°F (220°C fan). Note: or as high as your oven can go if it can’t go this high.
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Use a small knife to make around 25 incisions all over the lamb, with most on the top.
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Cut around 6 cloves into slivers and stuff them into the incisions.
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Sprinkle the lamb generously all over with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Drizzle with olive oil and rub all over the lamb.
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Place the lamb in a roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes or until it has a nice brown crust.
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Remove from the oven. Turn the oven down to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan).
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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.
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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)
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Remove the roast from the oven and remove the lid/foil. Turn the lamb over so it is the right side up.
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Cover again and roast for a further 2 1/2 hours, or until you can pull meat apart with forks.
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Remove cover and roast for a further 20 – 30 minutes (to brown). See TOTAL COOK TIME chart below.
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Remove from the oven and transfer lamb to serving platter. Cover loosely with foil and rest for 30 – 40 minutes.
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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.
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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).
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