greek recipe for lamb kleftiko
Slow-cooked lamb recipe that is succulent and falls off the bone. They would make a fire in a large pit during daylight hours so they wouldn’t be caught. The flames would eventually go out, leaving only glowing embers. The beast would then be covered with ashes until the next morning when they would find their meal and enjoy it. This is now a dish in a bowl. It’s usually served with potatoes to absorb the juices.
Kleftiko was first introduced to me in Troodos Mountains, but without the bandits. It’s simple genius in its simplicity.
Basic ingredients for greek recipe for lamb kleftiko
- 1 shoulder of lamb (some people use the leg, but it doesn’t taste as succulent).
- 2 large ripe tomatoes are cut into thick slices.
- 3 bay leaves.
- 5 cloves of garlic crushed open.
- 6 sprigs of fresh rosemary. A few pinches of sea salt One teaspoon of smoked paprika (OK. It’s not a traditional ingredient, but it gives it a bit of smokiness that you don’t get from cooking it in the oven).
How to make greek recipe for lamb kleftiko
- Season your meat evenly. Next, lay the meat out on a large piece of foil. Sprinkle half of the onion, half of the tomato slices, and half of the rosemary on top.
- Season and place the meat on top. Place the remaining ingredients on top. After rubbing lemon juice over the meat, cut the remaining pieces into large chunks and place them on top.
- Season the meat well with the smoked paprika. Remember to cut the tomatoes very thickly and place the majority of them on top of your meat. They will almost become sundried tomatoes. To seal it, wrap it in foil multiple times.
- Place the whole shoulder on a rack and place a pint or two of water in the bottom. Bake at 170° for 5 hours. If you are unsure, leave it in for longer. After the five hours have passed, take the meat out of the oven and turn it up to 200 degrees.
- Let the meat rest for 20 minutes. To make gravy, cut the foil wrap at the top and peel it away. You should have the oven at 200 degrees. After that, return the unwrapped meat to the oven.
- After this, Put the meat on a plate and place it in the middle. This is about sharing the joy. This dish is great with Tzatziki and rosemary-roasted new potatoes. It’s a feast for noisy friends, not boring fine dining. Enjoy this greek recipe for lamb kleftiko.