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Sifnos lamb mastelo is bone-in lamb shoulder, slow-braised with onions, garlic, red wine and a good amount of dill until it falls off the bone. On the Greek island of Sifnos it’s named after the clay pot it cooks in, and it’s often made for Easter and Sunday lunch. This is a simplified version for a regular Dutch oven.
The lamb is rich and soft. The sauce is savory with a little sweetness from the onions, and the dill keeps it fresh. I add half the dill at the start and the rest at the end, so you can still taste it.
You don’t need anything special for this recipe. It takes about 3.5 hours from start to table, but most of that time the pot sits in the oven and you can leave it alone.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Most of the cooking time is hands-off in the oven
- One pot makes both the meat and the sauce
- The meat pulls off the bone with a fork
- Reheats well, so leftovers taste even better
Ingredient Notes
- bone-in lamb shoulder: Shoulder has enough fat and connective tissue to stay soft over a long braise. Ask the butcher to cut it into 8 large pieces. Bone-in leg works but turns out drier.
- dry red wine: Use a wine you’d be happy to drink, such as a medium-bodied Greek red or a Merlot. Skip anything labeled cooking wine, since it’s usually salty.
- fresh dill: Fresh dill is what makes this dish taste like mastelo. Dried dill is not a good swap here, so use fresh parsley if you can’t find dill, though the flavor will change.
- onions: Two large yellow onions melt into the sauce and give it body and a little sweetness. Slice them about 5 mm thick so they soften evenly.
- extra virgin olive oil: You only need 3 tablespoons for browning. Any good everyday olive oil is fine.
Sifnos Lamb Mastelo: Slow-Braised in Red Wine and Dill
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 160 C / 320 F with a rack in the lower third. Pat the lamb dry with paper towels and season it all over with 1 1/2 tsp of the salt and the pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a 28 cm / 11-inch Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown half the lamb for 7 to 8 minutes, turning with tongs, until all sides are deep brown. Move it to a plate and brown the second batch the same way.
- Spoon off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pot. Lower the heat to medium, add the onions and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring, until soft and golden at the edges. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 3 minutes until reduced by about one third. Return the lamb and any juices to the pot, then add the water, bay leaves and half of the dill. The liquid should come about halfway up the meat. I hold the other half of the dill back because dill that cooks for hours turns dull and loses its fresh taste.
- Cover with the lid and bake for 2 hours 15 minutes. Check one piece with a fork. The meat should pull away from the bone easily and read about 90 C / 195 F in the thickest part.
- Remove the lid and bake for 20 more minutes, until the tops of the lamb pieces are browned at the edges and the sauce looks slightly thicker.
- Take the pot out of the oven, remove the bay leaves, and let it rest, loosely covered, for 15 minutes. Skim the fat from the surface with a wide spoon, stir in the remaining dill, then taste the sauce and add a pinch of salt if it needs it. Serve in wide bowls with the sauce spooned over.
Notes
- Brown the lamb in two batches so the pieces sear instead of steam.
- Keep the pot tightly covered during the first 2 hours 15 minutes to hold in moisture.
- Skim the fat after the 15 minute rest, when it has risen to the top.
- Add the second half of the dill off the heat so it stays green.
Tips for Success
- Ask the butcher to cut the shoulder into 8 pieces, about 6 cm across, so each one fits snugly in the pot.
- Brown the lamb in two batches and wait for a deep brown crust before turning, since that crust flavors the whole sauce.
- Hold back half the dill until the end, because dill that cooks for hours turns dull and loses its fresh taste.
- Use a dry red wine you’d drink, and avoid cooking wine, which is usually salty and can make the sauce harsh.
- Taste the sauce after the rest before adding more salt, since it reduces and concentrates in the final 20 minutes.
Variations
- Nestle 600 g halved baby potatoes around the lamb for the last 75 minutes and add 100 ml extra water to the pot.
- Add a cinnamon stick and 3 whole allspice berries with the bay leaves for a warmer, lightly spiced sauce.
- Use bone-in goat shoulder or leg pieces instead of lamb, and check for tenderness about 30 minutes later.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover lamb mastelo in an airtight container, covered with its sauce, in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Get it into the fridge within 2 hours of cooking. The sauce keeps the meat moist, so don’t drain it.
To reheat, put the lamb and sauce in a Dutch oven or baking dish, add 2 tablespoons of water, cover and warm at 160 C / 320 F for 25 minutes. Stir in a spoonful of fresh chopped dill before serving.
You can freeze it in the sauce for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat the same way. Braised lamb freezes well because the sauce protects the meat from drying out.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve lamb mastelo in wide bowls with plenty of sauce spooned over the top. Roast or lemon potatoes are the usual side, because they soak up the wine and dill. Crusty bread works too, for mopping up what’s left.
A simple green salad with lemon and olive oil cuts through the richness. Steamed horta or spinach with a drizzle of olive oil is another easy option.
A glass of the same red wine you cooked with goes well at the table.
FAQ
How do I know when Sifnos lamb mastelo is done?
The lamb is done when a fork pulls the meat away from the bone with almost no pressure. A thermometer in the thickest piece should read about 90 C / 195 F, but the fork test matters more. At that point the connective tissue has melted, which is why shoulder needs hours rather than minutes.
Why is my lamb mastelo sauce greasy?
Lamb shoulder renders a lot of fat during a long braise, and it floats on top of the sauce. Let the pot rest for 15 minutes, then skim the surface with a wide spoon. Pouring off all but 2 tablespoons of fat after browning the lamb also helps.
Can I use lamb leg or goat instead of shoulder in mastelo?
Yes, both work. Goat is also used for mastelo on Sifnos. Cut it into similar pieces and start checking at 2 hours 15 minutes, since it can need a bit longer. Bone-in leg is leaner and turns out drier, so I stick with shoulder when I can.
Can I freeze lamb mastelo, and how do I thaw it?
Yes, it freezes well for up to 3 months. Cool it completely, then freeze the lamb in its sauce in airtight containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat covered at 160 C / 320 F for 25 minutes. Add fresh dill after reheating, because the cooked dill will have faded.
Which side dishes go well with lamb mastelo?
Roast or lemon potatoes are the usual match, because they soak up the wine sauce. Crusty bread and a simple green salad with lemon also work. For a lighter plate, steamed greens like horta or spinach with olive oil keep the meal balanced.
What is the difference between mastelo and lamb kleftiko?
Mastelo is braised in red wine with onions and dill, and the sauce is a big part of the dish. Kleftiko is lamb sealed in parchment or foil with lemon, oregano and garlic, often with potatoes and sometimes cheese, so it roasts in its own juices. Mastelo is wetter and darker.