Description
This Slow Roast Greek Lemon Lamb with Potatoes is a tender and flavorful dish that combines succulent leg of lamb with a vibrant lemon marinade and hearty potatoes. Slow roasting allows the lamb to become juicy and fall-apart tender while absorbing the bright, savory flavors of garlic, rosemary, and sweet paprika, making it a perfect centerpiece for a comforting Greek-inspired meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Lamb and Vegetables
- 1 leg of lamb, 2-3 kg
- 6 potatoes, quartered
- 3 sweet potatoes, quartered
- 5 garlic cloves, sliced (to insert into lamb)
- 1 cup chicken stock
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- Oregano, to taste
- Paprika (sweet or smoked), to taste
Marinade
- 100 ml lemon juice (reserve lemon peel for roasting dish)
- 100 ml olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 large onion
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
- 1.5 tablespoons honey
- 1.5 tablespoons mustard
Instructions
- Prepare the Marinade: In a blender or food processor, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic cloves, onion, fresh rosemary, honey, and mustard. Blend until smooth to create a fragrant marinade that balances citrus, herbaceous, and sweet flavors.
- Marinate the Lamb: With a sharp knife, make small incisions all over the leg of lamb and insert the sliced garlic cloves into these slits. Place the lamb in a large bowl or dish and pour the marinade over it, ensuring it is covered thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to allow deep flavor infusion.
- Prepare for Roasting: Preheat your oven to 140°C (275°F) for slow roasting. In a roasting dish, spread the reserved lemon peels to create a bed that will infuse aromatic flavors. Arrange the quartered potatoes and sweet potatoes around the dish.
- Season the Lamb and Potatoes: Remove the lamb from the marinade (reserving the marinade). Season the lamb generously with salt, pepper, oregano, and paprika. Place the lamb on top of the lemon peels in the roasting dish and scatter the seasoned potatoes around it.
- Add Stock and Roast: Pour the chicken stock and the reserved marinade over the lamb and potatoes. Cover the dish tightly with foil to keep moisture inside and place it in the preheated oven.
- Slow Roast the Lamb: Roast the lamb for 3 to 4 hours, occasionally basting with the pan juices, or until the meat is tender and pulls easily from the bone. Check the potatoes during roasting and turn them for even cooking.
- Final Browning: For a crispy finish, remove the foil in the last 15-20 minutes of roasting and increase the oven temperature to 200°C (390°F) to brown the lamb and potatoes nicely.
- Rest and Serve: Once cooked, remove the lamb from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving. Serve the lamb slices with roasted potatoes, spooning over some of the pan juices for enhanced flavor.
Notes
- Marinating the lamb overnight greatly enhances the flavor and tenderness.
- Adjust the seasoning quantities according to taste, especially the paprika and oregano to match your preference.
- If leftover, the lamb can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and tastes great when reheated gently.
- This recipe pairs exceptionally well with a Greek salad or tzatziki sauce for freshness.
Keywords: Greek lamb recipe, slow roast lamb, lemon lamb, roasted potatoes, Greek cuisine, lamb leg recipe, traditional Greek lamb