Home / Dinner / Kleftiko

Kleftiko

Lamb shoulder slow-roasted in a parchment parcel with garlic, lemon, and oregano until it collapses into buttery tenderness.

⏱ 20 minPrep time
🔥 3 hr 30 minCook time
🍽 6Servings
🏷 DinnerCategory
☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet
Kleftiko — slow-roasted Greek lamb in parchment with garlic, lemon and oregano

Kleftiko is lamb at its most tender: chunks of shoulder marinated with garlic, lemon, and oregano, then baked low and slow until they fall apart at the touch of a fork. The name nods to the klephts of folklore, who supposedly cooked stolen meat in sealed pits.

Today’s kleftiko is an oven favorite for Sunday lunch, often baked with potatoes that soak up the lamb’s juices. Serve it straight from the parcel so everyone gets the fragrant steam.

Step by stepInstructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
  2. Toss the lamb with the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Marinate 1 hour or overnight.
  3. Lay large sheets of parchment or foil in a deep roasting pan. Add the lamb, bay leaves, lemon slices, and potatoes.
  4. Pour the water or wine over everything, then fold the parchment into a sealed parcel.
  5. Bake 3 to 3 1/2 hours until the lamb is meltingly tender.
  6. Open the parcel, raise the heat to 425°F, and roast 10-15 minutes to brown the top. Rest 10 minutes before serving.

💡 Chef tips & storage

The sealed parcel is what makes the meat so silky — don't peek for the first 2 hours. Leftovers reheat beautifully in their own juices.

Rate this recipe

☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet
Sign in to rate this recipe.

Recipe details

Prep20 min
Cook3 hr 30 min
Servings6
CategoryDinner
PublishedAugust 17, 2026
Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →