Kleftiko (Greek Slow-Roasted Lamb)

Kleftiko translates roughly to “stolen meat,” and the story behind the name is one of my favorites in Greek cooking: it supposedly comes from the klephts, mountain bandits of Ottoman-era Greece, who would slow-cook stolen lamb wrapped tightly in a sealed pit so neither the smoke nor the smell would give away their position. Whether or not that’s exactly how it happened, the cooking method survived, and what we’re left with is lamb so tender it falls apart at the touch of a fork.

I’ve been making a version of this for years, ever since a Greek neighbor in our old apartment building brought us a foil-wrapped tray of it after Lucas was born and refused to let us return the pan without filling it with something in exchange. It’s landed on the site alongside my other Greek dishes, my youvetsi (recipe on the site) and pastitsio (recipe on the site), but kleftiko is the one I make when I want the oven to do essentially all the work while I do something else with my day.

The parchment-and-foil wrapping stands in for that old sealed pit, trapping the steam and juices so the lamb essentially braises in its own liquid for hours. It’s the kind of Sunday dish that makes the whole house smell like lemon, garlic, and oregano long before anyone sits down to eat.

Kleftiko Recipe

Prep time: 20 minutes, plus overnight marinating · Cook time: 3 hours 30 minutes · Total: 4 hours, plus marinating · Servings: 6 · Calories: ~480 per serving

Ingredients

• 4 lb bone-in lamb shoulder, cut into large chunks
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into large chunks
• 2 large tomatoes, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• Fresh lemon wedges and oregano, for serving

Instructions

1. In a large bowl or bag, combine the lamb with the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight, or at least 4 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lay a large sheet of parchment paper over a large sheet of foil (or two layers of foil) in a deep roasting pan, with enough overhang on all sides to fold up and seal.
3. Toss the potatoes with a little of the marinade left in the bowl and spread them over the parchment. Arrange the marinated lamb on top, followed by the tomatoes and bell pepper.
4. Pour the white wine over everything, scatter the feta on top, and fold the parchment and foil up over the lamb, sealing the edges tightly so no steam escapes.
5. Roast for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, until the lamb is fork-tender and pulls away from the bone easily. Resist opening the packet early; the sealed steam is what makes this dish work.
6. Carefully open the packet (steam will be very hot), and if you’d like more color, run it under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes.
7. Serve straight from the pan with lemon wedges and a scattering of fresh oregano.

Recipe Notes

• Make sure the parchment and foil packet is sealed tightly; this is what traps the steam and gives you that fall-apart texture, so don’t skip the double layer.
• Bone-in lamb shoulder gives the best flavor and texture here; boneless will work in a pinch but cook a bit faster, so start checking at 2 1/2 hours.
• If your grocery store doesn’t carry lamb shoulder cut into chunks, ask the butcher counter, most will cut it for you on request.
• Leftovers reheat beautifully; shred any extra lamb and use it in pita with tzatziki for lunch the next day.