Go Back
Overhead view of tender kleftiko lamb chunks and golden roasted potatoes in a dark dish with pooled pan juices and oregano

Slow-Roasted Cypriot Kleftiko with Lamb and Potatoes

Bone-in lamb shoulder and potatoes marinated with garlic, lemon and oregano, sealed in parchment and foil, then slow-roasted until fork-tender.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 5 minutes
Total Time 5 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 146
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Lamb and Marinade
  • 1.8 kg lamb shoulder, bone-in, cut into 6 to 8 large chunks ask your butcher to cut it if it's easier
  • 8 garlic cloves 4 minced for the marinade, 4 left whole for roasting
  • 60 ml lemon juice about 2 lemons
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest from 1 lemon
  • 60 ml olive oil
  • 2 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper freshly ground
For the Vegetables and Roasting
  • 900 g potatoes, peeled and quartered Yukon Gold or another starchy variety
  • 2 onion, thickly sliced medium
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick optional
  • 2 ripe tomatoes, quartered or 200 g canned chopped tomatoes
  • 120 ml dry white wine or extra lemon juice with a splash of water

Method
 

Marinate the Lamb
  1. In a mixing bowl, stir together the minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper.
  2. Rub the marinade all over the lamb chunks, cover, and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or overnight for deeper flavor.
Assemble and Wrap
  1. Heat the oven to 160C / 320F.
  2. Line a 33 x 23 cm / 9 x 13-inch roasting dish with a large sheet of parchment paper, then a larger sheet of foil on top, leaving plenty of overhang on all sides.
  3. Scatter the potatoes, sliced onion, whole garlic cloves, bay leaves and cinnamon stick in the bottom of the dish.
  4. Set the marinated lamb chunks on top of the vegetables. Pour over any leftover marinade and the wine, then tuck the tomato quarters around the meat.
  5. Fold the parchment over the top first, then the foil, pressing the edges tightly closed so no steam can escape.
Roast
  1. Roast the sealed dish for 3.5 hours (210 minutes) at 160C / 320F, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest piece of lamb reads 95C / 203F and the meat feels loose around the bone.
  2. Carefully open the foil and parchment, watching for the burst of hot steam. Increase the oven to 200C / 390F.
  3. Roast uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the lamb and potatoes turn golden at the edges.
Finish and Serve
  1. Let the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving, so the juices settle back into the meat.
  2. Spoon the pan juices over the lamb and potatoes when plating, and remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick before serving.

Notes

  • Marinate lamb at least 1 hour, overnight is better
  • Seal the foil tightly, no gaps for steam to escape
  • Check for internal temp of 95C/203F before opening the seal
  • Cut potatoes into even quarters so they cook at the same rate as the lamb