Greek Easter lamb on the spit!
One of the Greek traditions of Greek Easter is the roasting of lamb.
Most people do the traditional lamb on the spit, others have their own local traditions of roasting in the wood fire. This year we are doing the latter. Mum broke the news last night and I was a bit annoyed because I LOVE my ritual of pulling off some of crispy skin and picking at the shank just before it's about to be taken off the spit. She however redeemed herself when she said that she will be stuffing the lamb with a rice, herb and offal concoction. SO HAPPY….Magiritsa in a pilaf form…..LOVE OFFAL!
I must admit, if you follow the fasting tradition it does make the Easter ritual of the lamb, that little bit more special.
Today's recipe is basically the ingredients dad uses to marinade the lamb.
Spices for lamb on spit
1 cup salt
1/4 cup paprika
1/4 cup ground pepper
1/4 cup oregano
1 whole head of garlic sliced into slivers
2 -3 lemons
1 cup oil
Mix dry ingredients together. Rub this dry rub all over whole lamb. Stab the lamb in the fleshy areas and insert the slivers of garlic. Wrap the lamb in a sheet and leave out in a cool area (laundry etc) overnight for the flavours to develop. Whilst the lamb is roasting baste with the lemon and oil mixture. You can baste this with a bunch of rosemary to add another flavour. Make sure you do not baste in the last 1/2 hour to 40 minutes of cooking. This will ensure a crunchy skin. Cooking time usually takes between 5-6 hours.
These are the same spices I use to do a slow roast in the oven. (using a lot less of the spice mixture and loads of lemon juice)
Most people do the traditional lamb on the spit, others have their own local traditions of roasting in the wood fire. This year we are doing the latter. Mum broke the news last night and I was a bit annoyed because I LOVE my ritual of pulling off some of crispy skin and picking at the shank just before it's about to be taken off the spit. She however redeemed herself when she said that she will be stuffing the lamb with a rice, herb and offal concoction. SO HAPPY….Magiritsa in a pilaf form…..LOVE OFFAL!
I must admit, if you follow the fasting tradition it does make the Easter ritual of the lamb, that little bit more special.
Today's recipe is basically the ingredients dad uses to marinade the lamb.
Spices for lamb on spit
1 cup salt
1/4 cup paprika
1/4 cup ground pepper
1/4 cup oregano
1 whole head of garlic sliced into slivers
2 -3 lemons
1 cup oil
Mix dry ingredients together. Rub this dry rub all over whole lamb. Stab the lamb in the fleshy areas and insert the slivers of garlic. Wrap the lamb in a sheet and leave out in a cool area (laundry etc) overnight for the flavours to develop. Whilst the lamb is roasting baste with the lemon and oil mixture. You can baste this with a bunch of rosemary to add another flavour. Make sure you do not baste in the last 1/2 hour to 40 minutes of cooking. This will ensure a crunchy skin. Cooking time usually takes between 5-6 hours.
These are the same spices I use to do a slow roast in the oven. (using a lot less of the spice mixture and loads of lemon juice)
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| Cooking lamb the old fashioned way...by hand....The cool looking dude is my dad and the little one is me! |
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| My brother Steve preparing the lamb |
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| nearly finished! |
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| Love Oakleigh market around Easter time. The sight of Greek men carrying the lamb over their shoulder to their cars always brings a tear to my eye! |
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| Mmm, is that a bit of crispy skin ready for me to pull off. |
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| The guardian of the lamb |
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| Off to the chopping block it goes…Thanks little bro! |
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| Mum the surgeon |
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