🇨🇾 Cypriot Cuisine

Κλέφτικο

Slow-Baked Lamb Kleftiko

Prep Time 30 min

Servings 6

Difficulty Medium

Calories 522 kcal

Whole lamb shoulder sealed in parchment or clay, slow-roasted for hours with garlic, bay leaves, and potatoes until the meat falls from the bone in succulent shreds.

Ingredients

1.5kg lamb shoulder, bone-in
1kg potatoes, quartered
8 cloves garlic, peeled
4 bay leaves
1 large onion, sliced
Juice of 3 lemons
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper
2 cups water

Instructions

1 Marinate lamb with lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, cinnamon, salt, and pepper for at least 2 hours.
2 Place potatoes and onion slices in the bottom of a deep roasting pan.
3 Set marinated lamb on top. Tuck bay leaves around the meat.
4 Pour water and remaining marinade over everything.
5 Seal tightly with parchment paper and aluminium foil, ensuring no steam escapes.
6 Roast at 160°C for 4-5 hours until lamb is falling off the bone.

Did You Know?

The name "kleftiko" means "stolen meat" — legend says mountain bandits (kleftes) would slow-cook stolen lamb in sealed underground pits to hide the smoke.