Kleftiko is a traditional Greek lamb dish that's known for producing tender and flavorful lamb. Traditionally cooked in a clay oven or a heavy-based pot, this easy kleftiko recipe uses the slow cooker.
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what is kleftiko?
Kleftiko is a traditional Greek dish, typically made with lamb or goat meat. The meat is marinated with garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and various herbs and spices, then slow-cooked in a sealed container, often with potatoes and vegetables.
The slow cooking process allows the meat to become incredibly tender and flavorful.
key ingredients
These ingredient notes are a summary to assist you make this recipe a success. It covers some but not all of the ingredients - see the detailed ingredients with measurements in the recipe card below.
- Lamb shoulder - you can leave it whole, or ask your butcher to chop it up for you in small pieces.
- Marinade - olive oil, juice from one lemon, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper.
- Tomatoes.
- Peppers.
- Potatoes.
- Hard cheese (optional) - kleftiko is traditionally made using Kefalotyri cheese but feta is a good substitute.
what type of lamb meat to use
For kleftiko, you'll want to use cuts of lamb that are suitable for slow cooking. These include:
- Lamb shoulder.
- Leg of Lamb.
- Lamb Shanks.
- Neck Fillets.
buying lamb shoulder
You can buy lamb shoulder from a variety of places, depending on where you live and what's available in your area. These places include:-
- Large supermarkets.
- Your local butcher.
- Ethnic grocery stores, particularly those specializing in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, or Greek foods, often have a good selection of lamb.
- Farmers market.
- Online meat retailers.
cooking using parchment paper
I recommend you do not skip on using parchment paper for the following reasons:-
Wrapping the lamb in parchment paper before cooking helps to seal in moisture. As the lamb cooks slowly, the parchment paper traps steam and prevents the juices from evaporating, keeping the meat moist and tender.
The parchment (baking) paper helps distribute the heat more evenly around the lamb, resulting in consistent cooking.
refregerating leftovers
Allow the meat to cool to room temperature before storing. To prevent bacterial growth, do not let it sit out for more than 2 hours.
Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
freezing instructions
To freeze, wrap leftover kleftiko in alaluminum foil or place it in an airtight freezer-friendly container.
Label the container with the best-by date so you can keep track of storage time and freeze for 6-9 months (see USDA lamb storage instructions here).
When ready to eat, thaw the meat in the refrigerator if it was frozen and reheat it in the oven or microwave until warmed through.
If using an oven, cover it with foil to prevent drying out.
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Kleftiko
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 -2 kg lamb shoulder (approximately 3.3 - 4 lbs)
- 3 small onions (roughly chopped)
- 3-4 potatoes (peeled, cleaned and cut into large chunks)
- 1 large sweet paprika - red, yellow or orange (deseeded and cut into large pieces)
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice (see notes)
- grated rind of one lemon
- 3-4 cloves of garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- black pepper (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ cup lamb or chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon thyme - fresh or dried
- 2 tomatoes (quartered or halved)
- 3-4 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs rosemary (fresh, dried, or frozen)
- 100 g Roman, Parmesan, or any hard Greek cheese such as Kefalotyri (optional)
Instructions
- Make gushes on the surface of the meat to allow the marinade to penetrate through the meat.
- Place the meat between two pieces of parchment (baking) paper, top with potatoes, onions, and paprika, then set aside.
- Blend olive oil, lemon juice, lemon rind, salt, black pepper, and paprika to make the marinade.
- To the marinade, add dried oregano, chicken or lamb stock, and thyme. Stir to combine.
- Pour the marinade on top of the lamb and veggies. Massage it through the meat.
- Top with tomatoes, bay leaves and rosemary.
- Transfer the meat to your slow cooker and cover it tightly with two pieces of parchment paper.
- Slow cook on low for 10-12 hours or on high for 5-6 hours.
- Once cooked, remove the lid and carefully open the parchment paper.
- Serve with some tzatziki or as preferred.
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