Greek lamb in the oven with potatoes

This is an easy, tested and guaranteed recipe for delicious Greek lamb in the oven with potatoes that guarantees a crispy result on the outside and a caramelised juicy lamb and potatoes.

Materials for six servings:

3-3.5 kg lamb (i.e. half a small lamb)
4-6 cloves of garlic
1.5 kg potatoes (small whole with the skin or normal cut thick but long)
Four tsp. mustard powder
Two lemons squeezed
150 ml of white wine
200 ml extra virgin olive oil
Two sprigs of fresh rosemary
3 tsp. sweet thyme
Five pinches of salt & freshly ground pepper

Procedure

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180°C with the fan on. If the oven doesn't have a fan, the lamb will take at least an extra half hour to bake and may need a bit of grilling to crisp it up.

Step 2

Prepare the lamb: Wipe the lamb with kitchen paper and place it in the pan. Gradually put the garlic cloves cut in half into the garlic press. By pressing them on the surface of the lamb, you will add the flavour to the whole lamb, up and down, inside and out, with the mashed garlic.

Step 3

Put the potatoes in the pan. Add the wine, lemon, mustard, rosemary and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle the thyme on both sides of the lamb.

Step 4

Put it in the oven and turn the lamb every half hour or so, carefully mixing the potatoes as well. Depending on the oven, baking takes 2.5 to 3 hours, so you'll need to make at least five turns. You don't take it out until you see that it is perfectly crispy, the skin has turned a deep caramelised colour, and the meat is dark brown.

Tips

The above process reduces the fats in the lamb, creating a delicious meat that is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. It is not recommended for goat that has less fat, but if you insist, the total time should be reduced by about 30 minutes so that the meat does not dry out. Using the oven normally without air is better.

Dimitris Papazimouris is a columnist for Cantina. Translated by Paul Antonopoulos.

READ MORE: Lambriatis: The delectable Easter goat dish of Andros.