Best Greek Style Lamb With Lemon Thyme Recipes

GREEK BONELESS LEG OF LAMB (SLOW COOKER)

Steps:

• Pat lamb dry and season generously with kosher salt and black pepper on all sides (if you have the time, set it aside at room temperature for up to 1 hour, otherwise continue on)
• Coat the bottom of a large skillet (I used my cast iron skillet) with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil. Heat skillet over medium heat until oil is shimmering but not smoking. Add the lamb and brown well on all sides (increase heat to medium-high if needed); about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool enough to handle.
• Cut a few slits into the lamb on both sides and insert a slice of garlic in each of the slits.
• Now make a wet garlic spice rub for the lamb. In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and paprika. Add lemon juice and 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Coat lamb on all sides with the garlic spice rub.
• Add pearl onions (or shallots) to the bottom of a large slow cooker (crock pot). Add wine and broth, then add the spiced lamb on top.
• Cover slow cooker and set on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for 5 to 6 hours until lamb is fork-tender and you can easily pull it apart.
• Transfer to a serving platter adding the cooking juice on top or to the side to serve along. (See sides to serve along in the notes)

GREEK SLOW ROASTED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• 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).

TRADITIONAL GREEK ROASTED LAMB AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Pat dry the lamb using paper towels and place it in a roasting pan. Using a sharp knife, make several incisions in the lamb and insert the slivered garlic and half of the rosemary leaves.
• Whisk together the olive oil, salt, pepper, the other half of the garlic (minced), the other half of the rosemary (chopped), thyme, oregano and lemon zest. Pour the marinade over the lamb making sure to cover it on all sides. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• 30 minutes before you are ready to roast the lamb, remove it from the refrigerator and turn on the oven to 450°F.
• Wrap the lamb and its marinade well with parchment paper (not wax paper) and then with aluminum foil (this will ensure that all the juices stay with the meat and do not leek.) If you do not have parchment paper, use two layers of foil instead. Place the roasting pan with the lamb in the middle rack of the oven, cook for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 360°F. Roast for 2 hours.
• While the lamb roasts, cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and then in quarters. If the potatoes are large, cut each quarter in half again. Place them in a medium bowl and toss them with the salt, pepper, oregano, and lemon juice.
• After two hours, remove the roast from the oven, open the wrapping carefully and check it. At this point, the bone should be loose and starting to come away from the meat. If it is not, cover the lamb again, return it to the oven, and roast for another 15 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 400°F. Uncover the lamb; there should be about a cup of its juices in the pan. If there is not enough liquid, add enough hot water to make about 1 cup. Scatter the potatoes around and under the lamb and return the pan to the oven for about 20-30 minutes until the skin of the lamb is brown and crisp (cover loosely with a piece of foil if the lamb becomes too dark before this time).
• At this point, remove only the lamb from the roasting pan and transfer it to a platter. Cover it loosely with some foil and let it rest for 20 minutes. Continue roasting the potatoes for another 15 minutes, or so, until they become soft and have a nice golden color. There should be still plenty of juice in the pan.
• To serve, spoon some pan juices over the lamb, divide it in four portions and serve it alongside the lemon potatoes. Garnish with some lemon slices and enjoy with a glass of Merlot.

GREEK LAMB MARINADE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Juice 2 lemons into a small bowl.
• Slowly drizzle olive oil into the lemon juice while whisking. This will help to emulsify the mixture.
• Add the remaining ingredients and stir.
• Allow the mixture to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before using.

GRILLED LAMB CHOPS WITH GARLIC, OLIVE OIL, FRESH THYME, GRILLED LEMONS

Steps:

• Whisk together oil, garlic and thyme in a shallow large baking dish. Add the chops and turn to coat. Cover and marinate for 1 to 1 1/2 hours in the refrigerator.
• Remove the chops from the refrigerator 20 minutes before grilling. Heat grill to high and grill the chops for 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium doneness. Remove and rest for 2 minutes. Slice into individual chops.
• Brush the cut side of the lemons with the oil and grill, cut side down on high for 1 minute. Turn lemons 45 degrees to make hatch marks and remove.
• Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the platter of chops. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with fresh sprigs of oregano and dill. Serve the remaining grilled lemons on the platter with the chops.

GREEK-STYLE LAMB WITH LEMON & THYME

Steps:

• Sit lamb in a large shallow dish, then mix the lemon zest and juice, thyme leaves and garlic together. Pour over, turn to coat, and marinate at room temp for 15 mins.
• Mix the yogurt with some seasoning, lift the lamb out of the marinade and rub with the yogurt. Barbecue or grill for 5-15 mins, turning once, until the lamb is cooked to your liking. Scatter with a little more thyme, if you like, and serve with dollops of houmous, some pitta bread and salad leaves.

LAMB CHOPS WITH THYME, CHILLI & GREEK HTIPITI

Steps:

• Put the lamb cutlets in a bowl with the thyme, chilli flakes and oil. Toss together to coat, then leave to marinate in the fridge for 30 mins-1 hr.
• For the htipiti, cut the peppers into small pieces. Put in a bowl and add all the other ingredients. Leave for about 15 mins for the flavour to infuse.
• Heat a griddle pan or frying pan. When it's really hot, lift the chops out of the marinade. Cook them, a few at a time, for 3 mins either side, seasoning as you go. Serve the chops with the sauce, and some baby potatoes, if you like.

ROAST LEG OF LAMB WITH LEMON, GARLIC, AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Place the chopped lemon, rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a food processor. A blender can also be used, if done in batches. If you have neither, finely chop all ingredients together.
• Open up the lamb and lay it flat. Spread and massage the lemon paste evenly over the inside and outside of the lamb. Place in a baking dish and cover, or in a large resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate overnight to marinate, turning occasionally.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Remove the meat from the refrigerator 30 to 60 minutes before cooking. Place the lamb on a rack in a foil-lined roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet. Place the meat in the oven and after 5 minutes, reduce the temperature to 425 degrees. Roast for 45 minutes, or until medium rare, 140 degrees on an instant read thermometer. Allow the meat to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving and serving.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH LEMON

Steps:

• Put oil in a large, deep skillet or casserole that can be covered later, and turn heat to medium-high. Add shanks, sprinkling them with salt and pepper. When pieces are deeply browned on one side, add thyme, garlic, onion, half the celery and half the carrots, and more salt and pepper to skillet. Continue to brown, stirring occasionally.
• Add wine, and let mixture bubble for about a minute; cover and adjust heat so that mixture simmers steadily. Cook for about an hour.
• Add remaining vegetables to pan; zest lemon, and add zest as well. Continue to cook until lamb is very tender and vegetables soft, another 30 to 45 minutes. (You can prepare dish up to this point in advance; let sit for a few hours, or cover and refrigerate for up to a day before reheating and proceeding.)
• When lamb is done, juice lemon, and add juice to sauce. Taste, adjust seasoning, and serve, garnished with parsley.

LAMB STEW WITH LEMON AND THYME

Steps:

• Cut the lamb into one-and-a-half-inch cubes and trim off the fat. Pat the cubes dry with paper towels and sprinkle with flour.
• Heat the oil in a heavy casserole and brown the lamb cubes on all sides.
• Remove and add the shallots, leeks, garlic and thyme. Brown lightly and return the lamb cubes to the casserole.
• Add the stock, white wine, lemon juice, salt, pepper, herb bouquet and lemon peel. Scrape up the cooking juices, bring them to a boil and turn the heat down to medium low. Place the cover on the pan slightly askew.
• Cook for 45 minutes to an hour, until the lamb is tender. Correct seasoning and serve.