Brian in the Kitchen Recipes
BRIAN IN THE KITCHEN brought to you by Stittsworth Meats
February 24 2020
Greek Lamb Shawarma
image from feastingathome.com
3 lb leg of lamb, boneless ( see notes for bone-in or shoulder)
one large onion, sliced into thick ½ inch slices
1 cup water
Shawarma Marinade
8 garlic cloves, whole
1 shallot, quartered
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon sumac
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cardamon
2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
Serve the lamb shawarma family style with Fluffy Basmati Rice ( the middle Eastern Version), roasted veggies, warm pita bread, yogurt, Labneh or Everyday Tahini Sauce , and my favorite, zhoug!
Or wrap it up in a pita for a delicious wrap!
Preheat oven to 350 F ( Plan on full 4 1/2 hours baking time, but check at 3 ½ hours)
Place marinade ingredients in a food processor and pulse into a paste, scraping down sides to incorporate well.
Place onion slices in the bottom of a dutch oven or cast iron skillet to create a base for the lamb.
Pat the lamb dry and coat all sides really really well with the paste, including the inside where the bone was removed. Roll it back up and place it on the bed of slice onion, seam side down, fatty side up. Let this marinate on the counter until the oven is hot, or up to 2 hours. You could also wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate 24 hours.
Pour 1 cup water into the dutch oven or skillet ( to the side of the lamb) and cover with a heavy lid or foil and place in the oven for 2 ½ hours. Uncover the roast to let the top get golden, and continue cooking 1 hour. Check the roast. If the pan seems dry, add a another ½ cup water. If the crust seems like its getting too dark, cover lightly with foil. Continue cooking until the lamb pulls apart easily with tongs or two forks. Possibly another hour. If it’s still feeling tough, continue cooking until it is tender, checking every 30 minutes, making sure to top is not burning or that is out of liquid in the bottom.
Let stand a few minutes before serving.
Serve with your choice of: Basmati Rice ( the middle eastern version), Pita bread, simple roasted veggies, labneh, tahini sauce, zhoug yogurt, tomatoes and/ or cucumbers.