Greek lamb kleftiko

Lamb kleftiko is a wonderfully tasty Greek slow roasted lamb dish. The lamb becomes so tender and the vegetables cooked in with the meat to take on the delicious flavors, too. You need a little patience, but not much effort. And it's well worth the wait.

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This dish reminds me of visits to Cyprus, most recently a few years ago when the kids were little (in fact my youngest was only a few weeks) but I also had it when I went other times before that. It was comforting, flavorful and one I knew we'd have to make at home, too.

I think often many of us associate Greek foods with those you might enjoy in the warmer weather like souvlaki, salads, dolma and dips like hummus and baba ghanoush. Then there are all the wonderful pies and pastries like spanakopita and tiropita and various mezze that are more snacky.

But Greek cooking has some great more warming slower-cooked dishes, too. Some of our big family favorites are youvetsi (lamb or beef and orzo stew) and moussaka (my version is a bit less typical as I don't use potato but it's delicious nonetheless). While this Greek dish is one we have less often, it's also one we all enjoy. 

What are the origins of kleftiko?

The name "kleftiko" means "stolen". The name is generally said to derive from the Klephts who were Greek nationalists living in the mountains when Greece came under Ottoman rule in the 15th century. Apparently partly in defiance of the uninvited rulers, as well as to avoid the high taxes they charged, they retreated to the mountains.

This dish is said to have evolved out of necessity. The Klephts stole lamb or other animals from farmers in order to survive. To cook the meat, they made ovens dug in the earth and sealed them with mud to hide any smoke. The meat cooked underground for many hours until they could return and retrieve it.  

An alternative theory is that the dish evolved for similar reasons in Cyprus as parts came under Turkish rule in the 19th century. But this seems likely too recent, though I can see the same technique being used again. 

Modern versions of kleftiko

As with most dishes, kleftiko has evolved over time and you will find variations. In particular, the cooking method is generally no longer underground ovens. But to get some of the same slow cooked steaming, many choose to cook the dish in parchment paper, or at least a well sealed pot. 

Also, while the original dish was likely only meat with some simple seasonings, most modern versions include vegetables as well to make a complete meal. Or at least one that doesn't need a lot of additions. Sometimes you cook the vegetables separately, but I prefer to cook everything together so they can take on the tasty flavors.

Ingredients in kleftiko

This dish uses a relatively simple set of ingredients, that are all commonly available (the lamb is for typically the hardest part to find). You season the lamb with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and oregano. Many also add white wine for extra flavor. You can also use other herbs like rosemary and thyme.

Alongside, as mentioned, you typically include a few vegetables. The most common are potatoes, red bell peppers, red onion and tomatoes. Some use slices of larger tomato but I like cherry tomatoes as they keep their form a little better.

You can also add some cheese, like kefalotyri, but it typically breaks up. This means it can be tricky to pick out what's cheese, and what's fat. So personally I usually skip it, and just make sure I have feta cheese in my salad alongside.

What cut of lamb should you use?

You have a few choices on the cut of lamb and some of it depends on personal preference, as well as availability. Many prefer lamb on the bone as this adds to the flavor. A leg of lamb is visually impressive and so adds to the fact this is often a celebration meal. 

However, many bone-in options are big. You might be lucky and have a butcher who will cut it for you, but otherwise this is mainly more an option is serving a larger group. One option, though, is lamb shanks. They are great for long, slow cooking but are size-wise perfect for smaller groups. You can even make individual parcels with a shank and vegetables in it. 

With boneless options, I find that leg of lamb doesn't always become quite tender enough, at least in the lamb I can get where I am (I imagine in more lamb-oriented places that may be different), without risking being dry. Shoulder, to me, is much better at becoming fall-apart tender while still being juicy.

A boneless piece of shoulder is easy to scale up and down to your group as well. Yes, it might need trimmed of excess fat and might not be as pretty as on the bone. But it'll be tasty which is the main point. Long story short, I'd say shoulder or shanks are the best options.

How to prepare the meat and vegetables

You have a choice on whether you marinade the lamb or simply prepare it shortly before you cook. The oil, lemon and herb mixture can be added as a seasoning while you prepare the vegetables, or you can leave it in with the meat longer as a marinade.

Marinading helps the meat take on all the lovely flavors a little more, so even a couple hours can be good, if you have it. You can also leave it overnight. If more than around half an hour, refrigerate the lamb as it marinades.

If you chose to marinade the lamb, make sure it has time to come to room temperature before cooking, so take it out before you prepare the vegetables. 

Since everything will have a long, slow cook, it's worth leaving the vegetables in decent-sized chunks. If you use baby potatoes, leave them whole. Cherry tomatoes stay whole as well. 

Preparing the dish for cooking

You can use either a roasting pan or a wide Dutch oven as you base dish here. You want something with a bit of depth to catch any leaks. Then use pieces of parchment paper to make a cross that the meat and vegetables will sit on. If you use the quantities as below, two pieces is probably plenty. If larger, you may want three as you want to make sure you cover everything and the contents are pretty well sealed in. 

Place the potatoes on the bottom so they are what browns, if anything, from underneath. It also lets them soak in the tasty flavors that drip down. Then add the other vegetables followed by the lamb on top.

Make sure you drizzle all the marinade mixture over everything. It will keep adding flavor as everything cooks. You can lift the lamb and toss the vegetables in the oil mixture to help them be coated.

Then, seal up the parchment to trap in the steam as much as possible as it cooks. String is about the easiest way to hold it together. Then place in the preheated oven, and let it do it's magic.

Once the lamb is cooked until tender, it's worth giving the vegetables (or at least the potatoes) a little extra time at higher heat to help them get a little crisp on the edges.

What to serve with kleftiko

Since this dish includes vegetables in with the lamb, you don't need all that much more to go alongside. However, a Greek salad is to me (and many others) pretty essential, both for flavor and to balance out the richness. 

While I don't think you need much more, if anything some bread can be good to mop up some of the juices. Though bear in mind much of the liquid at the bottom will be fat, so I'd suggest draining the fat so you can pour mainly just juices over the food as you serve.

Kleftiko lamb is a wonderfully flavorful, yet simple, traditional Greek lamb dish that might be less well known, but is well worth trying. The meat becomes so tender, the potatoes absorb the delicious flavors, and the onions get so meltingly soft and sweet. Not to mention the bursts of flavor and color from the pepper and tomatoes. A truly wonderful meal.

Try these other tasty lamb dishes:

• Braised lamb shanks
• Lamb kofta
• One pot braised lamb shoulder chops with vegetables
• And for leftovers, try a lamb pilaf or leftover lamb pasta sauce with eggplant.
• Plus get more Greek recipes in the archives.

See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store. 

This post was first shared in March 2018 and has been updated with new photos, video and additional information.

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