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
Truly Crunchy Roast Potatoes – outrageously crunchy!
Greek Lemon Roast Potatoes – loaded with Greek flavours
Lemon Potato Salad – skip the mayo, go for fresh lemon flavours
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!
Classic Roast Lamb Leg with Gravy – the classic, perfectly blushing pink inside
Slow Cooker Roast Lamb – fall apart goodness in the convenience of your slow cooker
Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder – the juiciest, most succulent roast lamb you will ever have!
Slow Cooked Lamb Shawarma – flavour bomb! Your favourite Lamb Shawarma, slow roasted and piled over couscous or stuffed in pita bread
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 , bone-in (Note 1 & Note 3 for roasting times for larger/smaller)
- 1 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (double for flakes or flaky salt)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3 tsp paprika powder (regular / sweet, not spicy or smoked)
- 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 lemon juice (2 – 3 lemons), plus more to taste
- 1 1/2 cups white wine (or sub with chicken broth/stock, low salt)
- 2 cups chicken broth/stock , low sodium
Instructions
ABBREVIATED RECIPE
- Stuff incisions with garlic, season, roast leg uncovered 30 min at 240°C/465°F (220°C fan). Lower to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan). Put everything else in pan, flip leg upside down, fill with hot water 1/4 way up, roast covered 3 1/2 hours. Flip lamb, roast covered another 2 1/2 hours, then brown uncovered 30 minutes. Strain pan juices, serve!
FULL RECIPE
- Preheat oven to 240°C/465°F (220°C fan-forced). (Note 2)
- Garlic incisions – 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.
- Season – Sprinkle the lamb generously all over with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Drizzle with olive oil and rub all over the lamb.
- 30 minute browning – Place the lamb in a roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes or until it has a nice brown crust.
- Prepare for slow-roasting – Remove from the oven. Turn the oven down to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). 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.
- Slow roast part 1 (3 1/2 hours) – Cover with lid or with baking/parchment paper then 2 layers of foil. Roast for 3 1/2 hours. Top up water if it dries out (e.g. Might happen if your foil is loose) ** See Note 3 for larger/smaller leg roasting times **
- Slow roast part 2 (2 1/2 hours) – 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 easily with forks.
- Finish browning – Remove cover and roast for a further 20 – 30 minutes (to brown).
- Rest – Remove from the oven and transfer lamb to serving platter. Cover loosely with foil and rest for 30 – 40 minutes.
- Sauce – Strain liquid into a clear jug. The fat will rise to the top. Scoop/pour most of it off and discard (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* or Greek Lemon Potatoes. The lamb will stay warm enough for 1 hour so you can roast / prep other sides during this time.
Recipe Notes:
Servings – Allow 350 – 400g/12 – 14oz uncooked bone-in meat weight per person, so a 3.5kg/7 pound leg will serve 8.75 to 10 people. I know this sounds like a lot, but you lose more weight with slow cooked meats than roasting leg to blushing pink. plus the bone is sizeable and nobody can carve every scrap of meat off the bone. 🙂
Make-ahead – This is best served freshly made as leg is quite lean so it just isn’t as succulent when reheated. It stays warm for 1 1/2 hours so you needn’t worry about being 100% precise with cook timing. Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, or freezer for 3 months.
Nutrition per serving assuming 10 servings.Nutrition Information:
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!
Made this recipe for Mother’s Day and it was simply amazing. The lamb was tender and the gravy was delicious. This is a keeper for sure. Thanks
Followed the recipe exactly and the result was dry and grey all through. The mistake I see in the recipe is the 2nd sear. No need for that step at all. The lamb was perfect after the braise and got overcooked by researing at 350F for extra 30 mins.
This was restaurant quality roasted greek lamb which I of course did with the greek potatoes & greek salad. I had lots of the lemony gravy and would thicken some next time but it was good. I had lots of juice left over to use in my pea/lentil soup and a future lamb leg roast. I have made many of your recipes and they are wonderful. Thank 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❤️❤️❤️
Absolutely beautiful. Fabulous flavours! A real hit in our family!
First time cooking a leg of lamb. I want to thank you. It was absolutely delicious and flavoursome. I had a 2kg leg so reduced the times as per your notes, let rest etc. Worth the effort in preparation etc.
Has anyone does this with a boneless leg of lamb? How should I adapt the cooking times?
Step 7 says fill with water, is that the chicken broth listed in the ingredients?
This recipe is amazing! So easy and delicious!!!!
Hi ! Can this be done with a lamb shoulder?
Oops I forgot to add my 5-star rating yesterday!
This was a show-stopper for an early Christmas celebration with a group of friends! It was meltingly tender and delicious, and was beautifully matched with a lovely Pinot Noir. Thank you Nagi!😊
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!
so you literally changed the recipe and still gave it 5 stars????what am I missing?
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.
I can answer this. As I’ve used your recipe too many times to count, I use a slow cooker every time so all I do differently is that I sear all sides of the meat after the rub has been applied of course. 2kg takes around 6-7hours on high and 7-8 on low.
And 3kg about 8hours on high, I couldn’t tell you how long on the low settings as I’ve never tried it.
This meal is a favourite in my house.
This is what AI says: Yes — you can do Nagi’s Greek slow-roast leg of lamb in the slow cooker, with a few smart tweaks. It won’t be identical to oven-roasted (you won’t get that caramelised exterior), but it will be fall-apart tender and very flavourful.
How to adapt it for the slow cooker
1. Prep as per Nagi’s recipe
• Use the same garlic, lemon, oregano, rosemary, olive oil, salt & pepper.
• Stab the lamb and stuff with garlic/herbs just like she does.
• Rub all over with the marinade.
2. Optional but recommended: quick browning
• Brown the lamb in a hot pan (or oven at high heat for 20 min) before slow cooking.
• This adds depth, but you can skip if short on time.
3. Into the slow cooker
• Place sliced onion, lemon slices and a splash of water or stock (½ cup max) in the base.
• Sit lamb fat-side up.
• Pour over any remaining marinade.
4. Cook time
• LOW: 8–9 hours (best result)
• HIGH: 5–6 hours
You want it to shred easily with a fork.
5. To finish (important!)
To get closer to Nagi’s signature result:
• Transfer lamb to a roasting tray
• Roast at 220°C for 15–20 minutes until the outside caramelises
• Spoon over reduced cooking juices
What to expect
✔ Ultra-tender, juicy lamb
✔ Authentic Greek flavour
✖ No crackly/fat-rendered exterior unless you finish in the oven
Serving tip (very Nagi-style)
Serve with:
• Lemon potatoes or roast potatoes
• Greek salad
• Flatbreads + tzatziki
• Drizzle with the reduced lamb juices
If you’d like, tell me:
• Weight of your lamb leg
• Bone-in or boneless
• Slow cooker size
…and I’ll tailor the timings perfectly for you.
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.
The same thing happened to me I couldn’t believe it was gonna take seven hours at 350° to cook this meat and I was right it was done when I went to turn it as well
yes I had the same problem, i had it on the heat recommended for its weight but it was ready after 4 hours so i slowed the oven and it rested for ages before we were ready to eat, and it did fall apart but stringy and overdone.
Made you Greek lamb for Easter. Served with your Brussel sprouts, duphnoise potatoes, mint sauce, snow peas and LOVE.