Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 7 hrs | Marinate: 10 hrs | Total Time: 7 hrs 5 mins | Servings: 4 people
This succulent lamb is incredibly tender, made easy and simple in a slow cooker. My favourite traditional Greek recipe!
Ingredients
Lamb marinade:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon zest only
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon anchovy paste optional
3 large garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
salt and freshly ground pepper to season
Lamb kleftiko:
1.2 kg | 2 1/2 lbs lamb shoulder
1 kg | 2 lbs baby potatoes skin on
1 red onion peeled and roughly chopped
2 lemon slices
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
80 ml | 1/3 c white wine
80 ml | 1/3 c lamb or chicken stock
1/2 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
To serve:
5 tablespoons crumbled feta optional
lemon wedges
a handful of fresh oregano and thyme leaves to garnish
How to make Greek lamb kleftiko
Step 1: In a small bowl, combine the marinade ingredients, then coat the entire lamb with it.
Step 2: Generously season the lamb with salt and pepper. Place the lamb in a lidded container and the fridge overnight.
Step 3: Thirty minutes before cooking, remove the lamb out of the fridge. And prepare your slow cooker.
Step 4: Sear the lamb in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat until both sides are nicely brown. When done, remove the lamb from the pan and set aside.
Step 5: Into the same pan, add the potatoes and onion. Saute over high heat until the potatoes begin to have a bit of colour. With a splash of wine, deglaze the pan, then season with salt and pepper.
Step 6: Shift the potatoes to the prepared slow cooker. Add in the cinnamon stick, lemon slices, and bay leaves.
Step 7: Place the seared lamb on top. Pour over the wine, stock, and vinegar.
Step 8: Set on low and cook for 7 to 8 hours or until the lamb is fork-tender.
Step 9: Optional: Place the lamb under a hot grill for about 5 minutes to get some colour on them. Then, allow them to rest for at least 10 minutes, covered loosely with foil.
Step 10: Before serving. Shred or carve the lamb into pieces. Add over potatoes with a little sprinkle of feta cheese and garnish with fresh herbs and extra lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy!
Instant Pot method:
Step 1: Following the steps above until before you add the potatoes into the slow cooker. Cook the lamb with the rest of the ingredients in an Instant Pot for 45 minutes at high pressure. When done, natural release for about 25 to 30 minutes.
Step 2: To get some colour, place the lamb under a hot grill. Cook for about 5 minutes. Then, let the lamb rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Oven method:
Step 1: The same with the Instant Pot method, follow the steps before adding the potatoes to the slow cooker.
Step 2: Prepare the oven. Preheat it to 160 degrees C or 320 degrees F.
Step 3: In a large (turkey) roasting bag, add the potatoes and onion and top with the lamb. Into the bag, add in the cinnamon stick, lemon slices, and bay leaves. And put on a heavy deep roasting tray.
Step 4: In the bag, pour in 60 ml or 1/4 cup of wine or stock. Seal the bag, then make a small hole to let the steam escape.
Step 5: Cook the lamb in the preheated oven for about 3 1/2 hours. Take it out of the oven and slowly and carefully open the roasting bag.
Step 6: Add back to the oven and cook for 30 minutes more to brown the lamb. It is done when the internal temperature of the meat reached 62 degrees C or 145 degrees F for medium-rare, 71 degrees C or 160 degrees F for medium, or 76 degrees C or 175 degrees F for well done.
Step 7: Tent the lamb loosely with foil and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes:
To make a gravy, place the cooking juices from the lamb to a fat/gravy separator to remove some of the oil. Combine with the shredded lamb or if desired simmer for at least 30 minutes on low heat until the liquid has reduced a little. Serve as a gravy with the sliced lamb.
For this recipe, you can use a butterflied leg of lamb instead of lamb shoulder, Make sure to slice them in large pieces.
Nutritional Facts:
Calories: 602kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 375mg | Potassium: 1769mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 100IU | Vitamin C: 83.8mg | Calcium: 181mg | Iron: 7.1mg
Ingredients
- Lamb marinade:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lemon zest only
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste optional
- 3 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- salt and freshly ground pepper to season
- Lamb kleftiko:
- 1.2 kg | 2 1/2 lbs lamb shoulder
- 1 kg | 2 lbs baby potatoes skin on
- 1 red onion peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 lemon slices
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 80 ml | 1/3 c white wine
- 80 ml | 1/3 c lamb or chicken stock
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- To serve:
- 5 tablespoons crumbled feta optional
- lemon wedges
- a handful of fresh oregano and thyme leaves to garnish
Instructions
Step 1: In a small bowl, combine the marinade ingredients, then coat the entire lamb with it.
Step 2: Generously season the lamb with salt and pepper. Place the lamb in a lidded container and the fridge overnight.
Step 3: Thirty minutes before cooking, remove the lamb out of the fridge. And prepare your slow cooker.
Step 4: Sear the lamb in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat until both sides are nicely brown. When done, remove the lamb from the pan and set aside.
Step 5: Into the same pan, add the potatoes and onion. Saute over high heat until the potatoes begin to have a bit of colour. With a splash of wine, deglaze the pan, then season with salt and pepper.
Step 6: Shift the potatoes to the prepared slow cooker. Add in the cinnamon stick, lemon slices, and bay leaves.
Step 7: Place the seared lamb on top. Pour over the wine, stock, and vinegar.
Step 8: Set on low and cook for 7 to 8 hours or until the lamb is fork-tender.
Step 9: Optional: Place the lamb under a hot grill for about 5 minutes to get some colour on them. Then, allow them to rest for at least 10 minutes, covered loosely with foil.
Step 10: Before serving. Shred or carve the lamb into pieces. Add over potatoes with a little sprinkle of feta cheese and garnish with fresh herbs and extra lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy!
Instant Pot method:
Step 1: Following the steps above until before you add the potatoes into the slow cooker. Cook the lamb with the rest of the ingredients in an Instant Pot for 45 minutes at high pressure. When done, natural release for about 25 to 30 minutes.
Step 2: To get some colour, place the lamb under a hot grill. Cook for about 5 minutes. Then, let the lamb rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Oven method:
Step 1: The same with the Instant Pot method, follow the steps before adding the potatoes to the slow cooker.
Step 2: Prepare the oven. Preheat it to 160 degrees C or 320 degrees F.
Step 3: In a large (turkey) roasting bag, add the potatoes and onion and top with the lamb. Into the bag, add in the cinnamon stick, lemon slices, and bay leaves. And put on a heavy deep roasting tray.
Step 4: In the bag, pour in 60 ml or 1/4 cup of wine or stock. Seal the bag, then make a small hole to let the steam escape.
Step 5: Cook the lamb in the preheated oven for about 3 1/2 hours. Take it out of the oven and slowly and carefully open the roasting bag.
Step 6: Add back to the oven and cook for 30 minutes more to brown the lamb. It is done when the internal temperature of the meat reached 62 degrees C or 145 degrees F for medium-rare, 71 degrees C or 160 degrees F for medium, or 76 degrees C or 175 degrees F for well done.
Step 7: Tent the lamb loosely with foil and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
To make a gravy, place the cooking juices from the lamb to a fat/gravy separator to remove some of the oil. Combine with the shredded lamb or if desired simmer for at least 30 minutes on low heat until the liquid has reduced a little. Serve as a gravy with the sliced lamb. For this recipe, you can use a butterflied leg of lamb instead of lamb shoulder, Make sure to slice them in large pieces.
