Uploaded May 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Slow roasted shoulder of lamb and potatoes roasted in olive oil, lemon juice and garlic. The lamb is succulent and beautifully tender, the potatoes absorb the cooking juices from the lamb, and the little cloves of garlic become soft, sticky and full of roasted goodness!
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The Klephts were Greek nationalists living as outlaws during the Ottomans rule. They were moving around continuously avoiding capture so the method of cooking lamb or goat buried in the ground worked extremely well for them. As time went on Kleftiko was cooked in clay wood burning ovens, and now in domestic ovens where the meat is sealed in packages or a pot.
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Recipe
If you find the recipe useful please subscribe: youtube.com/channel/UCezJ2OMlEwVJ5tMitCYL6DQ?sub_confirmation=1
My lamb shoulder is 1.5 kilos in weight. Greek lamb can tend to be a bit smaller than you’ll find in the UK / New Zealand and other countries. This can be cooked the same way with larger joints of lamb or goat, but you’ll need to increase the cooking time. This can also be cooked with Lamb shanks, and they’re amazing too!
People vary what ingredients go into the roast. Some add carrots and peppers, others add wine. I don’t believe the Klephts would have a strict recipe, they would have cooked what they had to hand, so feel free to experiment.
This is what we cook in our family:
Lamb shoulder
Potatoes (suitable for roasting)
Onions
Garlic
Lemon
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
Cut the potatoes into pieces suitable for roasting and rinse under cold water. Drain well and add them to a large bowl. Add in some whole peeled cloves of garlic and some cloves that haven’t been peeled. Peel the onions, leaving the root on, and cut in to quarters or eighth. Add the onions to the bowl. Season with salt pepper and oregano, olive oil and the juice of the lemon.
Stud the lamb with garlic and season with salt, pepper and oregano, drizzle with olive oil. Place in your baking paper parcel or on your tray / in your pot. Add the potatoes, garlic and onions around the edge of the joint and drizzle a little extra oil and lemon juice.
Preheat the oven to 125c or 260f and slow roast the lamb for about five hours. You’ll need to check it towards the end to make sure its cooked through. Then you can leave the parcel unwrapped and pop it back in the oven at 200c to crisp the potatoes and lamb. This will take about 20-30 minutes.
Enjoy and let me know what you think!
Slow roasted shoulder of lamb and potatoes roasted in olive oil, lemon juice and garlic. The lamb is succulent and beautifully tender, the potatoes absorb the cooking juices from the lamb, and the little cloves of garlic become soft, sticky and full of roasted goodness!
Join the email community:
https://www.culinaryexploration.eu/community
Challenger Cast Iron Pan:
challengerbreadware.com/product/challenger-bread-pan/?ref=CulinaryExploration
The Klephts were Greek nationalists living as outlaws during the Ottomans rule. They were moving around continuously avoiding capture so the method of cooking lamb or goat buried in the ground worked extremely well for them. As time went on Kleftiko was cooked in clay wood burning ovens, and now in domestic ovens where the meat is sealed in packages or a pot.
_________________________________________________________________________
Recipe
If you find the recipe useful please subscribe: youtube.com/channel/UCezJ2OMlEwVJ5tMitCYL6DQ?sub_confirmation=1
My lamb shoulder is 1.5 kilos in weight. Greek lamb can tend to be a bit smaller than you’ll find in the UK / New Zealand and other countries. This can be cooked the same way with larger joints of lamb or goat, but you’ll need to increase the cooking time. This can also be cooked with Lamb shanks, and they’re amazing too!
People vary what ingredients go into the roast. Some add carrots and peppers, others add wine. I don’t believe the Klephts would have a strict recipe, they would have cooked what they had to hand, so feel free to experiment.
This is what we cook in our family:
Lamb shoulder
Potatoes (suitable for roasting)
Onions
Garlic
Lemon
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
Cut the potatoes into pieces suitable for roasting and rinse under cold water. Drain well and add them to a large bowl. Add in some whole peeled cloves of garlic and some cloves that haven’t been peeled. Peel the onions, leaving the root on, and cut in to quarters or eighth. Add the onions to the bowl. Season with salt pepper and oregano, olive oil and the juice of the lemon.
Stud the lamb with garlic and season with salt, pepper and oregano, drizzle with olive oil. Place in your baking paper parcel or on your tray / in your pot. Add the potatoes, garlic and onions around the edge of the joint and drizzle a little extra oil and lemon juice.
Preheat the oven to 125c or 260f and slow roast the lamb for about five hours. You’ll need to check it towards the end to make sure its cooked through. Then you can leave the parcel unwrapped and pop it back in the oven at 200c to crisp the potatoes and lamb. This will take about 20-30 minutes.
Enjoy and let me know what you think!
