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
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Truly Crunchy Roast Potatoes – outrageously crunchy!
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Greek Lemon Roast Potatoes – loaded with Greek flavours
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Lemon Potato Salad – skip the mayo, go for fresh lemon flavours
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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!
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Classic Roast Lamb Leg with Gravy – the classic, perfectly blushing pink inside
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Slow Cooker Roast Lamb – fall apart goodness in the convenience of your slow cooker
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Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder – the juiciest, most succulent roast lamb you will ever have!
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Slow Cooked Lamb Shawarma – flavour bomb! Your favourite Lamb Shawarma, slow roasted and piled over couscous or stuffed in pita bread
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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 Nagi,
I was wondering if this can be cooked in advance and stored in the freezer? I have plenty of lamb legs and would like to cook a big batch at once for a party, but I’m a bit worried if it’s suitable for freezing.
If it is, how long can I safely keep it in the freezer? Will the taste stay just as good, like with your other recipes that are freezer-friendly? Thank you so much!
***IM A PROUD BIG FAN OF YOUR RECIPES!!!***xxx❤️❤️❤️
Is it possible to cook this in a crockpot?
Nagi has a slow cooker recipe 🙂
Hello,
I’m planning on making this for a crowd so would love to cook two lamb legs…any tips for doubling the recipe? Would it be ok to cook both legs together or would you recommend two separate roasting trays, one for each leg?
Thanks!
I used the recipe with a 4lb boneless leg of lamb. I was, admittedly, a bit skeptical. I always loved the flavor of a Greek style lamb but never venture to make anything in that style before. So prior to cooking I just wasn’t sure how it was going to work out. I halfed the recipe entirely, down to the cooking time. The only difference was that I added mint leaves and the rest of the herbs and spices and olive oil in the processor and rubbed it on the lamb.I also didn’t insert the cloves of garlic and just added it to the processor as well. Instead I packed the incisions with the mix. Then I proceeded ro add the liquids to the baking dish. It was amazing!! So good I almost cried, lol. I’m so in love!!!
Followed your recipe. Was so yum, thanks!
Can you cook the Greek slow roasted leg of lamb in the slow cooker using the instructions for the slow cooker roast lamb?
Did you try this Brenda? I would love to use the slow cooker but not sure if it works and how the gravy comes out.
Thanks Nagi. Your recipes came up trumps again. Had friends to dinner and wanted to do something a bit special. Served this with your roast potatoes, your glazed carrots and some french beans. Because l needed the oven hot for the vegetables, l took a bit of a risk, and skipped the initial browning. Went straight to slow cooking and reverse seared it at the end. Rested it while the oven came up to temperature. Then staggered the potatoes and the carrots at 15 minute intervals and added the lamb for the last 30. Worked out perfectly. Everyone had seconds and thirds.
Hi Nagi, can a 2 kilo leg with same ingredients be cooked in the slow cooker?
Hi..I used a generated email hence how funny it looks.
The slow roasted lamb times you have in your chart are way too long. I wish I’d read the greek link you adapted from but I didn’t…my 7.5 lb lamb leg was done in 3.5 hours…and your chart shows 6-7hrs.
When I turned it after 3 hours it was ready to come out of oven but i left it for another 1.5 and while delicious it was over cooked.
Made you Greek lamb for Easter. Served with your Brussel sprouts, duphnoise potatoes, mint sauce, snow peas and LOVE.
Can this be cooked in the slow cooker? If so, how long should I leave it for?
Would this work with a shoulder of lamb instead?
Amazing. Only way I’ll cook lamb now. Worth the time but pretty low effort
I used a 7 lb. Semi boneless leg of lamb. This was delish but I would cook it for less time next time (as it was, I shaved off an hour) or at 325 vs 350. Edges were a little dry. Served the jus with homemade popovers.
Can I substitute red wine for white?
I have 18 people coming for Xmas lunch. I will need to make 2, I think. Can the lamb be cooked, then refrigerated and browned in oven on the day to refresh and reheat?
I made your Greek roasted leg of lamb for my family and it was truly delicious! We are living in Paris and the ingredients here are especially tasty. The onions were a highlight as was the sauce. I served it with tzatziki and Greek salad, and my special sliced potatoes on a bed of onions with a sprinkle of paprika and not one scrap of meat was left!
Hi there! Can this be cooked in a slow cooker? If so, is it the same amount of time?
The family loved this lamb recipe and cant wait for me to make again
So easy and so delicious
Nagi I love your recipes and sing your praises to everybody I meet! QuestionI have a half leg of lamb which has been in the freezer since 25/12/2022 it weighs 1.8 kegs will it be OK?? And can you suggest timings?
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?