This is how the Greeks make roast lamb – cooked until tender, half braised in a garlic lemon flavoured liquid that transforms into a luscious sauce – no mucking around with gravy! This Greek Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb takes hours and hours to roast, but it is EASY, virtually foolproof and very hands off. A perfect centrepiece for Easter, Sunday Roast or any other occasion for feasting!!
After more ideas? Browse all my roast lamb recipes!
Fork-tender, authentic Greek Slow Roast Leg of Lamb
All around the world this weekend, there will be gatherings of family and friends to celebrate Easter. I was quite interested to learn that ham is very popular in America. Here in Australia, it’s all about roast lamb and seafood.
I love a good roast lamb! I’ve shared quite a few of them – from a classic Roast Lamb Leg, to a Slow Roast Leg of Lamb (fall apart tender!), Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder and even a Slow Cooker Roast Lamb.
But this one I’m sharing today is not just another lamb roast. It’s a Greek one. Rubbed with a simple spice mix, slow cooked until tender, half braised so it sucks up all the yummy lemony garlicky herby flavours.
No carving knife required. See?
Aussies love their lamb. In my family, Sunday Night Roast Dinners are an occasion that triggers fiery correspondence between us kids as we debate the menu. You can read one such dialogue in this Slow Roasted Rosemary Garlic Lamb Shoulder, along with my self proclaimed family title as Roast Queen.
The thing with roasting a leg of lamb is that unless (and even if) you have a meat thermometer, it is actually quite hard to cook the roast perfectly so it is blushing pink on the inside, moist and juicy. It can take just 20 minutes for a leg of lamb to go from perfect to dry.
It can even overcook while resting. Truly. Been there, done that – cutting into the lamb straight out of the oven to take a peek, grinning smugly when I spied pink, set it aside to rest for 30 minutes, then when I carved it, there was not a hint of pink left.
I was temporarily dethroned as Roast Queen when that happened. I’d like to say I stepped down like a good sport, but no, I was overthrown 😤. I’m taking back the title for this Greek lamb though!!
Flavour, flavour, flavour, juicy, juicy, juicy, easy, easy, easy. That’s what this Greek Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb is all about. As long as you allow for sufficient cooking time, it is really hard to go wrong with this.
In true Greek form, this lamb is packed with extra flavour by stuffing bits of garlic into incisions made all over the lamb, then it’s rubbed with paprika and garlic powder. Add a simple braising liquid to keep it beautifully moist and to infuse it with even more flavour, then cook it long and slow.
Oh! The other advantage of this Greek Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb? NO MUCKING AROUND TO MAKE GRAVY! The braising liquid reduces down to an intensely flavoured sauce that needs to be generously poured all over the lamb. This is how it is supposed to be. And I’m not complaining!!!
This lamb does take hours to roast. Hours upon hours. 7 hours for a 3.5kg/7lb leg of lamb, to be precise. But it’s hands off, low maintenance time.
And at the end of it, look at what you get!! Now THIS is a step up from the usual Sunday night roast! – Nagi x
PS Greek Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb is pictured here with my. They really are….well, crunchy!! 😉
Try these on the side
Truly Crunchy Roast Potatoes – outrageously crunchy!
Greek Lemon Roast Potatoes – loaded with Greek flavours
Lemon Potato Salad – skip the mayo, go for fresh lemon flavours
Greek Salad – big, fresh and juicy
More Roast Lamb Recipes
I love a good roast lamb – so I’ve shared a few over the years!
Classic Roast Lamb Leg with Gravy – the classic, perfectly blushing pink inside
Slow Cooker Roast Lamb – fall apart goodness in the convenience of your slow cooker
Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder – the juiciest, most succulent roast lamb you will ever have!
Slow Cooked Lamb Shawarma – flavour bomb! Your favourite Lamb Shawarma, slow roasted and piled over couscous or stuffed in pita bread
See all Roast Lamb recipes
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Greek Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb
Ingredients
- 12 cloves of garlic, peeled
- 7 lb / 3.5 kg leg of lamb (Note 1)
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tsp paprika powder
- 3 tsp garlic powder (or sub with onion powder)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large onions, quartered (white, brown, yellow, red)
- 10 sprigs of thyme
- 3 sprigs rosemary
- 3 tsp dried oregano
- 3 dried bayleaves (or 5 fresh)
- 1/2 cup / 125 ml lemon juice (2 – 3 lemons), plus more to taste
- 1 1/2 cups / 375 ml white wine (or sub with chicken broth/stock, low salt)
- 2 cups / 500 ml chicken broth (liquid chicken stock)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 240°C/465°F (220°C fan). (Note 2)
- Use a small knife to make around 25 incisions all over the lamb, with most on the top.
- Cut around 6 cloves into slivers and stuff them into the incisions.
- Sprinkle the lamb generously all over with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Drizzle with olive oil and rub all over the lamb.
- Place the lamb in a roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes or until it has a nice brown crust.
- Remove from the oven. Turn the oven down to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan).
- Turn the lamb upside down. Pour / place all the remaining ingredients in the pan around the lamb (including remaining garlic cloves). Fill the roasting pan with hot water so it comes up about 1/4 – 1/3 of the way up the height of the lamb.
- Cover with lid or with baking/parchment paper then 2 layers of foil. Bake for 3.5 hours. (Note 3) Top up water if it dries out (e.g. Might happen if your lid is loose)
- Remove the roast from the oven and remove the lid/foil. Turn the lamb over so it is the right side up.
- Cover again and roast for a further 2 1/2 hours, or until you can pull meat apart with forks.
- Remove cover and roast for a further 20 – 30 minutes (to brown). (Note 3)
- Remove from the oven and transfer lamb to serving platter. Cover loosely with foil and rest for 30 – 40 minutes.
- Strain liquid into a clear jug. The fat will rise to the top. Scoop/pour most of it off – I get 3/4 – 1 cup. There should be 2 – 3 cups of Sauce left. Adjust salt, pepper and lemon to taste.
- Serve lamb with the Sauce on the side and Truly Crunchy Roast Potatoes (heat oil while lamb is in the oven, then cook potatoes when the lamb is resting).
Recipe Notes:
4. Adapted from this Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb by Kalofagas.MORE ROAST LAMB
Slow Cooker Roast Lamb Leg with Gravy – The most succulent lamb leg you’ll ever have!
Classic Roast Lamb – Perfectly pink and juicy inside, with a killer gravy!
Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder – My favourite cut of lamb for roasting! Super tender, incredible flavour, and so forgiving!
LIFE OF DOZER
Oh, look who made an appearance when I pulled this out of the oven. Sorry Dozer, no lamb for you! Too much garlic – bad for you!
hi, I pressed enter before I had a chance to correct the spelling of cuisine, and also add ‘thank you so much, now my next venture – your spanakopita.’ any chance my comment can be fixed please?
Hi Nagi,
I followed your recipe but only had a small 1.5kg Woolies leg of lamb. All up it took 4 hours not sure if I did my math right, but it turned out delicious! The fact that my hard-to-please cooking all their lives Greek parents loved it, counts a lot! 🙂 I did pour a little more lemon before and after as it’s a necessity in our cousine!
Is it possible to do the first 3.5 hour cook, then turn and do the 2nd cook the next day?
I am a Greek living abroad. I’ve made this recipe a few times for friends and family. It has always been an absolute winner! Thank you for such clear and easy to follow instructions.
Made this with the carrot cabbage mint salad and yoghurt garlic dressing from the lamb kofta recipe Really yummo!!!
Omg the lamb was falling apart delicious I made it in the slow cooker
I forgot to add parchment paper. But have 4 layers of aluminium. Will it still work?
What do you do with the lemon juice and chicken stock/ broth? Recipe say to put hot water.
OMG Nagi, this Greek Lamb Roast was to die for. I am loving all of your recipes so far and this was one of the easiest roasts EVER!! Oh and we had duck fat roast spuds too!
Hi Nagi,
I got a 13 lb leg of lamb. I have done lambs before but used my mother-in-law’s recipes. I have tried some of your other recipes and wowed them thanks to your culinary expertise. I plan on prepping the lamb the night before and letting it marinate. My question is what do you recommend for time and heat seeing that this recipe is for a 7lb leg of lamb. Thanks!
Is the water extra to the liquid, ie wine and chicken stock
Hi Nagi,
I love used many of your recipes and you are my go to for all my cooking inspiration.
I was wondering whether this recipe could be made in the outdoor bbq?
I’m planning on it for Easter and hoping you could please share any tips. thank you 🙂
Jen
What would the cooking time be for a 1.3kg leg of lamb?
What a beautiful dish! Made this today and all guest loved it! That’s a keeper!
wtf i think you got the temps mixed up ……hot to sart and then turn it doem
Has anyone had any luck slow cooking or pressure cooking this recipe and finishing off in the oven to brown the top similar to another of Nagi’s lamb recipes?
Made your Greek lamb with crunchy potatoes yesterday. Big success. Followed each step and didn’t cha he anything. Any good idea for leftover lamb?
We make this every year and use the leftovers in this rice pilaf recipe. Just throw together the pilaf and when it is done, shred or chop leftover lamb and toss with the pilaf. We serve with homemade flat/unleavened bread and asparagus on the side, so yummy!
Rogan Josh.
Hi Nagi, I’m hoping to put this in the slow cooker to Cook while I’m at work. Would it work ok if I popped everything in the slow cooker on low?
Hi there,
Can this be made with red wine instead of white? thanks!
For Greek slow roasted Lamb. Where in recipe does it say WHERE OR WHEN the quartered onions go???? I reviewed over recipe many times Thanks.
Step number 7…”Place all remaining ingredients….”
Rogan Josh curry. Nagi has a recipe but you can also buy it in a jar.
It says, add all other ingredients to the baking tray. Put them in together with the herbs, water, lemon, garlic, wine…
Step 7. Where it says, add ALL other ingredients!,,
Step 7 ‘place all the remaining ingredients in the pan’
Step 7
Step 7