Kuzu Tandır Kebab - Turkish Roasted Lamb
Kuzu Tandır Kebab is a delicious slow-cooked Turkish Roasted Lamb dish traditionally cooked in a clay tandır oven for long hours, until fork tender.
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 652kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2.5 kg shoulder of lamb
- 1 tablespoon good quality olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic (pasted)
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or oregano
- 8 pieces naan bread (for serving)
- 1 tomato, pepper, and onion (to garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 220° C (430° F).
- In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and dried thyme (or oregano).
- Slit the top of the fatty side of the lamb shoulder joint with a small sharp knife to help the marinade go through the meat.
- Rub the mixture all over the lamb, gently massaging it into the meat for a couple of minutes.
- Wrap the lamb shoulder tightly with 2 layers of large pieces of parchment paper followed by 2 layers of tin foil.
- Place the wrapped lamb shoulder on a cooking rack sitting on a baking tray, then place it in the preheated oven.
- Cook the lamb for 2 ½ hours, and then reduce the heat to 140° C (285° F).
- Let the lamb cook for another 2-3 hours, until it is fork-tender.
- Remove the lamb from the oven, place it in a large bowl or plate, and carefully open the wrappings.
- Separate the meat from the bone using a thong or a fork, shred it, and transfer it to a baking dish along with the cooking juices.
- Set the oven temperature to 180° C (360° F), and place the lamb meat back in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the meat lightly browns.
- Place the naan bread or pita bread in the oven for 10 minutes to warm them up before serving them with your Kuzu Tandir Kebab.
Video
Notes
- To achieve the best flavor, purchase a good quality cut of meat from your local farmers and butchers. When you buy your lamb, ask your butcher to clean off as much excess fat as possible.
- Take the meat out of the fridge 1 hour before you’re ready to start cooking to bring it to room temperature. This step is necessary to reduce cooking time and ensure more juicy meat.
- Wrap the lamb shoulder tightly with 2 layers of large pieces of parchment paper followed by 2 layers of tin foil to create steam and to keep the meat moist.
- Make sure you place the wrapped lamb shoulder on a cooking rack sitting on a baking tray before placing it in the oven.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container for up to five days when refrigerated. If you want to keep them longer, you can freeze them for up to 3 months
Nutrition
Calories: 652kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 1564mg | Potassium: 573mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 6IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 4mg