When I lived in Machester we used to go to The Kosmos restaurant and I always had this, now I do it at least 4 times a year, I came on here to jog my memory of what goes in, good work
Tried this today had a leg of lamb and used my air fryer oven, on the oven setting, it was delicious! I served it with homemade pita bread, Greek salad and tzatziki, will definitely be making this again. Will try the shoulder next time. Do try this and thanks for a wonderful recipe🙏
Oh yes, this is how I like my lamb; cooked low and slow. I'm Italian, and this method was taught to me by my mom. The outside crispy and caramelized, and the meat sticky from the long cooking time. Theo, this is the recipe that compelled me to subscribe to your channel. Many thanks!
I lived in Cyprus for a few years, back in the early 1980s' and gained a real love of Greek Cypriot foods (I disliked liver until I had it as part of a kebab, now it's a favourite). It used to be a bit difficult getting the inside knowledge on recipes, but since the advent of You Tube and the guidance of experts such as Theo, making authentic Cypriot dishes has become much easier. These days, my family's celebratory dish is Kleftiko, which I've made numerous times now and although there are a number of variations, I favour this one. I think I make quite a passable sheftalias too.
i have been cooking all sorts of food for about 40 years but the way you explain it is perfect down to earth basic but right cheers keep up the good work
First time I went on holiday to Greece, as the plane was coming into land I became aware of the smell of lamb cooking. I thought to myself, these guys know food!
I followed your tutorial over on peter sidwell channel of kleftico and it was amazing, it went down a treat with my family,my husband loves lamb and with every mouthful, he was like this tastes so good. So thank you for sharing your amazing recipe.
My son is a fussy eater so I usually cater to his palate but when he goes out with his mates and I want to spoil myself I always make Lamb Kleftiko - you can’t go wrong, one dish, so many complex flavours and yet staple pantry items. He’s going out Friday 🤤😋😛
Yes, we were lucky to get to visit Cypress and drove up the treacherous roads to the Trudos mountains where we had the most delicious lamb cooked by a very old lady. The food was simple but so tasty. The people were so lovely. A very good memory indeed!
I always knew that lamb done the greek way is super delicious, but i haven't tryed kleftiko until my recent stay on Cyprus. It was so delicious that i need to try to cook it the authentic way. This is slow food, simple to cook but you need the time to do it. It's very rewarding for sure. Thanks for the recipe.
+Maria Mavrommati Thank you darling! Some of the best things are life are simple! But yes, so quick to prepare and what delicious results you are rewarded with! I'm pleased you like it! x
There is a local greek restaurant that is absolutely delicious. I've brought family and friends, some visiting from other countries there and everyone leaves that restaurant with a clean plate. Kleftiko is one of my favorite dishes. Love the lemon potatoes and rice pilaf and flavorful lamb mmm. I remember a good friend of mine who can be pretty critical of food at times, asked if there was gravy with the kleftiko. I told him "No, you don't need it" and he gave me this weird look. When he tried it he was very surprised.
Hi Theo, I lived in Cyprus for 10 years and the village ladies showed me how to do kleftiko, but it was in a shallow dish with lots of potatoes and onions and only salt and pepper. Does each village have their own adaption?? I love your stifado recipe and think I'm going to try this,this weekend! Thanks for your amazing recipes!
Hi Shona, thank you so much for your comment! Like all recipes they vary from village to village to person to person. This is how I like to do mine. The first time I had it was in the Troodos mountains cooked in a clay oven and eaten on shared benches.. there's something about that, that is so hard to recreate in a home oven so I've added a few other flavours to try and bring those memories alive in a small way ... But I'm not precious - whatever works for you go for it! So pleased you've been enjoying the recipes xx
It's in the oven cooking now, so looking forward to unwrapping it and having a taste. Just love how easy you make this look and couldn't agree more how some of the most simple foods are the best!!!
A few years ago (about ten), I was in Cyprus Taverna and I "gambled" on the menu dish called Klftiko. I did not know what it is. I got a meat lump (it was the leg) and I fell in love in the Klftiko, after the first bite. I still feel the taste of Klftiko... The video and the recipe on your website reminded me of those memories. Although I really enjoyed the leg, I'll take your recommendation and will try to make the shoulder. Hope of finding a good piece of meat coming days and make your recipe for Sabbath dinner. Thank you very much! Lea PS Your website is wonderful and alsoYour TH-cam channel.
I had this in a "traditional" Greek Restaurant in London,, it was very well known place and you had to book weeks if not months in advance. The Kleftiko was a lamb shank, I found it delicious really nice, a tad greasy, but with the veggies it was great.. I have done it at home since with home grown veg and herbs, Well worth doing.
the bandits cooked it underground so they would not to be spotted by the Ottoman occupiers. They were outlawed because they refused to succumb to the invaders. Instead, they took to the mountains and were in constant skirmishes to drive the invaders out of their ancestral lands. This style of cooking was also throughout mainland Greece for the exact same reason. Great video, well done.
Excellent! After discovering this I watched all your videos over the course of two days! Worked in Cyprus for a while and I now have the instant desire to prepare all your lovely recipes! Keep up the excellent work Theo! Perhaps an Afelia recipe soon?
Looks amazing chef Theo! When I had this in Cyprus, it was cooked in a wood oven, with Feta and came flambé style. I assume there are various recipes for this dish, all amazing in their own way? Efcharisto poli 😉👍
adey payne it's amazing in a wood fired oven! I've had it with feta aswell but there's something I love about the meat on its own - but ultimately; sealed and slow cooked it tastes wonderful!
My fathers family are from Cyprus. My yia-yia would make this all the time nearly exactly the same as this. Except she used parchment paper instead of foil. Also she used cumin and cinnamon in the marinade as well.
Hi Theo, this was an excellent video, very well presented. I'm going to try this recipe on the weekend but I'll be using a leg of lamb because I don't have shoulder at the moment. My gas oven is not fan assisted so should I increase the temperature to 190 degrees or should I stick with 170 and cook for longer? Cheers.
Hi, if using the leg I’d stick with 170 as it’s much leaner. Also with the leg, once you’ve cooked it let it rest under foil for 30minutes before serving. It’ll need that time to relax and get succulent!
@@TheoMichaelsCooks Thanks so much for your tips Theo, I'll be sure to rest the meat a bit longer. Also I like your idea of adding the smokey paprika. Cheers mate.
I'm planning on hosting a Greek night for a bunch of girlfriends, so I'm looking for things I can prepare and cook in advance etc... this sounds fab and looks great.... thanks x
Yeah, five hours at around 160cFAN should do it! Just make sure there is a little liquid in the tray and you cover it tightly while cooking. Then let it rest covered for 20 minutes at least before taking the foil off and popping it back in on a really high setting 220'ish - GOOD LUCK!
@@TheoMichaelsCooks it was so amazing I love this recipe made it on Easter Monday and let it cook for about 5 hours and it almost tasted like veal thank you for that video 👍
I made a very similar kleftico last night it was awesome, I never added onion and baked mine in a Pyrex dish but took the lid off for ten mins, oh and I added a glass of wine
That looks delicious!! I am going to do this today. Already bought the shoulder lamb yesterday. I could use oregano, i haven't got parsley. Should be fine.
Cha Auxtero Good timing! I'm working on that one - watch this space! SHould have something for you in a month! (check out my website www.theocooks.com for more recipes!)
This is such a great video, so entertaining and informative. Your passion and knowledge of Greek food comes across as does you appealing personality. I will be making this. I have been working my way through Greek food classics for the past three years. We eat more Greek meals than most Greek families I expect.
Think I might have replied to this - but isn't showing so just wanted to ensure I gave you a big THANK YOU! for such a nice comment - it really makes this all worthwhile. What's your favourite Greek dish?!
Going to cook this for 4 big meat-eaters at the weekend so will use a whole shoulder of lamb. Will cook in a Weber BBQ for charcoal smokiness. I note that you cooked for 3 hours with the half shoulder so I wondered what the cooking time should be for the whole shoulder based on around 170c in the bbq?
An absolutely stunning way to cook lamb. Very well done, it's my favourite lamb dish by far. All the best to you and yours. (BTW, I subscribed, but there was no bell for notifications? Odd)
Thank you for this kleftiko recipe! I am ready to bake lamb chops and I will be making them in individual foil packets. Could you please advice on oven temperature and cooking time? Thanks!
I love lamb. I love cooking it. That dish looks amazing. I do have a firepit in the backyard of my flat where I live. I wonder how that would work on there. My late maternal grandmother made lamb once. I tried it and loved it.
Hi, I am late to the party and just wondering, you have in the written portion of the recipe to add a pint of water, is that in a separate dish below? Thanks, can't wait to try this recipe, saw the cut of meat, bought it and had no idea what to do with it.
the original ofto kleftiko is slow cooked in a completely sealed off oven made from cement and is as hot as a fiery inferno,the meat must be from an old goat, atleast 3 years old, make sure you preheat the oven for about 12 hours until it gets really hot, place the meat in and some potatoes and seal the door with mud until its completely sealed of, let it sit there for atleast 5 hours, if not 12. thats how you make the original ofto
@@skouloukouin lol. I looked into buying a good stone oven. Or, for the same money, you could fly to Crete, eat kleftiko, have their best wine, swim in the Agean for a week, and get a nice tan :) Oven works for me.
Im gonna send you a proper cutting board for xmas. it decalcifies my spine each time i see you rake your chefs knife across that rock for a cutting board. :) thumbs up
+Gary Miller Ha! I know... not my chopping board (or come to think of it not my kitchen either!) I do use a nice wooden one that is like a loving cosy duvet for my knives to work with.. But hey, I'm not one to turn away from a Chrismas present! :) Thanks for the comments Gary!
Theo Michaels Hello Theo ..Yes it was amazing all three times that i have cooked it has been out of this world and my guests think so to. I have been so busy entertaining and inviting people over to show it off i forgot to let you know lol . My next guests are from Cyprus so i am sure they will love it too.Then i will move on to your next dish but the joy of Kleftiko and you recipe is that it cooks slowly while i entertained being a great host and deliver a fab meal as a result too..wonderful out of this world Thank you Theo. x
Gail Turner Oh that's brilliant!! I'm so pleased it's been working out so well for you! If you're enjoying the delights of traditional Cypriot cuisine you should test out my Stifado dish! th-cam.com/video/XM22m3AoUCQ/w-d-xo.html Txx
Big thank you to everyone so far that has watched, liked and commented on my Kleftiko recipe! It's so simple to cook, but oh-so delicious! Love receiving your comments so keep 'em coming!
Had the most amazing g kleftiko at a Greek restaurant last night, but it came with a tomato and pepper sauce, any idea what else I’d need to make a sauce to go with the lamb?
I’ve just just cooked this for my girlfriend after going on the beer 🍺 for two days and safe to say I’m back in the good books unbelievable recipe cheers 🍻 pal 🤣🤷♂️
Great presentation Theo - and very entertaining. I came back from a trip (my first) to Cyprus last week, and after eating kleftiko for the first time in my life, and enjoying it so much, went on to have it twice more in the week to compare other restaurants take on it! All used thick cut lamb chops, but I am interested to try your version using lamb shoulder as it is such a cheap cut and I feel sure it responds to the slow cook. I was told that the the traditional method uses the residual heat from the clay/pit oven over a longer period. I wonder if lamb shank might be an alternative cheap cut too?
Hi Paul, lamb chops are great but lean, which means they have a tendency to dry out - the shoulder is perfect! As is the lamb shank that will make a delicious kleftiko dish. In fact, if I were doing kleftiko and wanted to get 'fancy' you could do the same recipe but replace my shoulder with one lamb shank per person you were feeding - delish! Let me know how you get on and thanks again for leaving me a comment!
I’ve got a question Theo. I copied your recipe for kleftiko and it was lovely. I go to an amazing place in Larnaca famous for Kleftiko. I want to get as close as possible to the taste. My question is can I use my BBQ that has a cover as an alternative to a clay oven? Maybe I can use wood instead of coal? Any ideas please.
Authentic Cypriot Kleftiko requires authentic Cypriot apparatus. Namely, a clay oven, a clay casserole dish and wood. That classic authentic flavour is a combination of the above; especially the manner in which the clay oven is sealed..here physics comes into the equation. You need to cover the casserole dish with either a heavy lid and/or heavy aluminium foil, and secondly, and the most important procedure...to seal the clay oven door with clay/mud..you MUST create an airtight environment.. Kleftiko is steamed more than pot roasted. In the absence of an authentic sealed clay oven, I use my AGA's simmering oven (approximately 100c), to cook my Kleftiko; 5+ hours 1. Begin by searing the fat of the lamb in a cast iron frying pan prior to placing in the casserole pot; this adds that little extra flavour. 2. Use a casserole pot whereby the lid sit's inside the casserole dish's rim diameter as opposed to a lid which covers/overhangs the dish diameter...why? Because once you add your ingredients (including a glass of white wine and a small stick of cinnamon), into the dish, you need to make a thick water/cornflour mixture which you now will use to seal in the lid to the dish to create your artificial clay oven mud seal. I experimented with real mud. 3. Wrap in aluminium foil for extra insurance that you have created a 100% airtight seal. Although the taste will not be exactly 100% authentic...because we're substituting a wood fired authentic clay oven for a cooker oven, you can help by adding smoked garlic instead of regular garlic. Happy experimentation ;-)
Hi Gary, I take Christos comments; but its also about making do with what you've got. I would be tempted to wrap the whole thing up, wait for the coals to turn to ash and place the package straight on the coals. Then cover them with coals. Actually I'm going to test this this weekend on a camping trip so I'll let you know! Follow me on Instagram @theocooks
Nicely done kleftiko:-) Have you ever cooked it in slow cooker. Any difference in taste? How much time would it take? Thanks. Happy cooking... stay connected
I've not cooked it in a slow cooker before, but you could try. I would add little if any liquid, and leave it in for about 8 hours. You probably will find it doesn't colour very well, so if you can fry it first to give it some colour that might work well - let me know how you get on!
@@TheoMichaelsCooks I've tried lamb in a slow cooker it's nice and tender, but it doesn't render the fat out. Plus I had to put in oven to crisp the fat up. Cooking slowly in the oven is far superior.
When I lived in Machester we used to go to The Kosmos restaurant and I always had this, now I do it at least 4 times a year, I came on here to jog my memory of what goes in, good work
Never been able to cook lamb properly, but tried this recipe and nailed it! Thanks a lot mate!
Tried this today had a leg of lamb and used my air fryer oven, on the oven setting, it was delicious!
I served it with homemade pita bread, Greek salad and tzatziki, will definitely be making this again.
Will try the shoulder next time.
Do try this and thanks for a wonderful recipe🙏
Oh yes, this is how I like my lamb; cooked low and slow. I'm Italian, and this method was taught to me by my mom. The outside crispy and caramelized, and the meat sticky from the long cooking time. Theo, this is the recipe that compelled me to subscribe to your channel. Many thanks!
Thanks so much Vee! The Greeks and Italians share a lot of cuisines!
Bravo Theo... I'm making traditional keftueds with my Yaya Today 86 years old still going strong 💪
I lived in Cyprus for a few years, back in the early 1980s' and gained a real love of Greek Cypriot foods (I disliked liver until I had it as part of a kebab, now it's a favourite). It used to be a bit difficult getting the inside knowledge on recipes, but since the advent of You Tube and the guidance of experts such as Theo, making authentic Cypriot dishes has become much easier. These days, my family's celebratory dish is Kleftiko, which I've made numerous times now and although there are a number of variations, I favour this one. I think I make quite a passable sheftalias too.
i have been cooking all sorts of food for about 40 years but the way you explain it is perfect down to earth basic but right cheers keep up the good work
Hey Terry, that’s really kind, thank you for saying
First time I went on holiday to Greece, as the plane was coming into land I became aware of the smell of lamb cooking. I thought to myself, these guys know food!
I won’t argue with that!
I had this dish at the Troodors mountains and is absolutely beautiful
Renato Bie it really is!
I followed your tutorial over on peter sidwell channel of kleftico and it was amazing, it went down a treat with my family,my husband loves lamb and with every mouthful, he was like this tastes so good. So thank you for sharing your amazing recipe.
chef,you keep it simple and use the right cut of lamb to keep moisture and flavour.excellent
My son is a fussy eater so I usually cater to his palate but when he goes out with his mates and I want to spoil myself I always make Lamb Kleftiko - you can’t go wrong, one dish, so many complex flavours and yet staple pantry items. He’s going out Friday 🤤😋😛
looks delicious will try. Love that the video moves right along. No fluff
Yes, we were lucky to get to visit Cypress and drove up the treacherous roads to the Trudos mountains where we had the most delicious lamb cooked by a very old lady. The food was simple but so tasty. The people were so lovely. A very good memory indeed!
Thats amazing and exactly what it should be; delicious simple food - ideally cooked by an old lady! :)
Hi Theo, I cooked this today for family. Delicious! I used a whole shoulder with same timing, worked beautifly.
Hi Carol-Ann, that's so wonderful! I'm really pleased you all enjoyed it!
Bravo re Theo. I made this and it turned out fantastic. The touch of paprika is a great tip. THANK YOU
Looks amazing! Trying this recipe
Awesome!
i followed your recipe exactly and it turned out BEAUTIFUL !!! Mpravo sou - Euxaristw!
Wonderful!! That's great to hear! Thank you..
I always knew that lamb done the greek way is super delicious, but i haven't tryed kleftiko until my recent stay on Cyprus. It was so delicious that i need to try to cook it the authentic way. This is slow food, simple to cook but you need the time to do it. It's very rewarding for sure. Thanks for the recipe.
That’s great - I hope you enjoy it!
You have to separate the 2 now
Well I did try it, and it was amazing. This has now become a favourite. Thanks!
That’s awesome! Pleased you enjoyed it!
In the oven !! Already smell the aroma. I’ve used a whole shoulder. Thank you. Love your style and videos.
I'm going to cook this now, you,ve got it going on man, great delivery of authentic cooking info, thanks
hydroponic nomad thanks buddy! Love your handle btw!
Simple and fast in preparing but extraordinary and complex in flavor... Amazing Theo
+Maria Mavrommati Thank you darling! Some of the best things are life are simple! But yes, so quick to prepare and what delicious results you are rewarded with! I'm pleased you like it! x
Guess what I made the Lamb recipe today and it turned out really good, everybody loved it.. Thank you so much😊
That's awesome! Really pleased you enjoyed it and it came out well (it always does this one!)
I wanted to cook lamb like I had it on holiday in Corfu. I’ll try this thank you
THats great - I really hope you enjoy it!
Εξαιρετικό, λίγο διαφορετικό από αυτά που έχω δοκιμάσει , πάει τη συνταγή σε ένα ανώτερο επίπεδο!!!
ευχαριστώ!
made this for family at the weekend, it was a stormer, everyone loved it. thanks for sharing.
droylsdenblue that's awesome! Nothing pleases me more than that!
There is a local greek restaurant that is absolutely delicious. I've brought family and friends, some visiting from other countries there and everyone leaves that restaurant with a clean plate. Kleftiko is one of my favorite dishes. Love the lemon potatoes and rice pilaf and flavorful lamb mmm.
I remember a good friend of mine who can be pretty critical of food at times, asked if there was gravy with the kleftiko. I told him "No, you don't need it" and he gave me this weird look. When he tried it he was very surprised.
I hope you give it a go at home then!
Hi Theo, I lived in Cyprus for 10 years and the village ladies showed me how to do kleftiko, but it was in a shallow dish with lots of potatoes and onions and only salt and pepper. Does each village have their own adaption?? I love your stifado recipe and think I'm going to try this,this weekend! Thanks for your amazing recipes!
Hi Shona, thank you so much for your comment! Like all recipes they vary from village to village to person to person. This is how I like to do mine. The first time I had it was in the Troodos mountains cooked in a clay oven and eaten on shared benches.. there's something about that, that is so hard to recreate in a home oven so I've added a few other flavours to try and bring those memories alive in a small way ... But I'm not precious - whatever works for you go for it! So pleased you've been enjoying the recipes xx
@@TheoMichaelsCooks I have eaten a at that same bench may times! I'm looking forward to trying your recipe!
This looks great. I'm going to give it go, really looking forward to trying this, thanks.
Three cheers for the Greek bandits, We had this dish on Skiathos a few years ago,will defifitely be giving this a try ,great video.
One of my favourite dishes of all time. Good cooking show.
Thank you! (It's one of my favourite dishes as well!) :(
Making lamb for my son's birthday in 2 days. He likes Italian food. I like Greek and I am the one cooking :)
haha! Sounds like you're in charge! :)
Going to make this next week for my family 😊
Just amazing same taste as I had while on holiday in Greece 😀
Well that is a massive compliment ! Follow me on instagram @theocooks
lamb is one of my favourite food . I could eat all that in no time .
Absolutely succulent! Thank you so much for your recipie! We've just been going to resturaunts for roasted lamb, but I think will give this a go!
Brilliant! I'm sure you'll love it!
It's in the oven cooking now, so looking forward to unwrapping it and having a taste. Just love how easy you make this look and couldn't agree more how some of the most simple foods are the best!!!
Oh Lela! How did it come out?!
Absolutely delicious, nice one!!
That's awesome! So pleased you enjoyed it! (one of my favourites!)
A few years ago (about ten), I was in Cyprus Taverna and I "gambled" on the menu dish called Klftiko. I did not know what it is. I got a meat lump (it was the leg) and I fell in love in the Klftiko, after the first bite. I still feel the taste of Klftiko... The video and the recipe on your website reminded me of those memories. Although I really enjoyed the leg, I'll take your recommendation and will try to make the shoulder. Hope of finding a good piece of meat coming days and make your recipe for Sabbath dinner.
Thank you very much! Lea
PS
Your website is wonderful and alsoYour TH-cam channel.
Thank you Lea! It's a wonderful dish, and lovely to read your comments! Tx
Φαινεται τέλειο. Θα το φτιαξω την παραμονή της. Πρωτοχρονιάς. Καλές γιορτές. Ευχαριστώ
Ευχαριστώ! Please do! I'd love to hear how it comes out!
I had this in a "traditional" Greek Restaurant in London,, it was very well known place and you had to book weeks if not months in advance. The Kleftiko was a lamb shank, I found it delicious really nice, a tad greasy, but with the veggies it was great.. I have done it at home since with home grown veg and herbs, Well worth doing.
chris bond thanks Chris, sounds delicious, try with the shoulder, it’s the only cut I use for Kleftiko and comes out really succulent
Just excellent ! Thanks !
the bandits cooked it underground so they would not to be spotted by the Ottoman occupiers. They were outlawed because they refused to succumb to the invaders. Instead, they took to the mountains and were in constant skirmishes to drive the invaders out of their ancestral lands. This style of cooking was also throughout mainland Greece for the exact same reason. Great video, well done.
Respect to the Greeks love this food. .
Mines in the oven now, this exact recipe, but I added red peppers , hope it turns out nice!
Cool video! Loved the history to the dish.
Thanks buddy!
Excellent! After discovering this I watched all your videos over the course of two days! Worked in Cyprus for a while and I now have the instant desire to prepare all your lovely recipes! Keep up the excellent work Theo! Perhaps an Afelia recipe soon?
Vic Cib hey Vic! Thanks so much for your comment and that's awesome that you watched them all! Right Afelia will be done soon! :)
Giving this a go tomorrow!
Looks amazing chef Theo! When I had this in Cyprus, it was cooked in a wood oven, with Feta and came flambé style. I assume there are various recipes for this dish, all amazing in their own way? Efcharisto poli 😉👍
adey payne it's amazing in a wood fired oven! I've had it with feta aswell but there's something I love about the meat on its own - but ultimately; sealed and slow cooked it tastes wonderful!
Nice one Theo ,tasty and easy to cook.Fabulous meal.I did this with lamb shanks instead of the normal recipe.
That's awesome Jan, it also really works if you ask your butcher to cut up a lamb shoulder keeping the bone in. Really pleased you enjoyed it!
Yes shoulder of lamb next time as more people to share.This recipe made an easy day, just pop in the oven and leave for a few hours.
Life is too short to fuss when feeding lots of family! Pleased you like Jan
My fathers family are from Cyprus. My yia-yia would make this all the time nearly exactly the same as this. Except she used parchment paper instead of foil. Also she used cumin and cinnamon in the marinade as well.
Sounds delicious! Really appreciate you watching and commenting
Hi Theo, this was an excellent video, very well presented. I'm going to try this recipe on the weekend but I'll be using a leg of lamb because I don't have shoulder at the moment. My gas oven is not fan assisted so should I increase the temperature to 190 degrees or should I stick with 170 and cook for longer? Cheers.
Hi, if using the leg I’d stick with 170 as it’s much leaner. Also with the leg, once you’ve cooked it let it rest under foil for 30minutes before serving. It’ll need that time to relax and get succulent!
@@TheoMichaelsCooks Thanks so much for your tips Theo, I'll be sure to rest the meat a bit longer. Also I like your idea of adding the smokey paprika. Cheers mate.
I'm planning on hosting a Greek night for a bunch of girlfriends, so I'm looking for things I can prepare and cook in advance etc... this sounds fab and looks great.... thanks x
That's awesome Kym! I'm sure you and the girls will love it! Enjoy and I'd love to hear how it goes! x
I am trying this today! I have a whole shoulder and its 2.2kg so I am thinking 5 hours?
Really excited to get this going!
Yeah, five hours at around 160cFAN should do it! Just make sure there is a little liquid in the tray and you cover it tightly while cooking. Then let it rest covered for 20 minutes at least before taking the foil off and popping it back in on a really high setting 220'ish - GOOD LUCK!
Done this yesterday but let it marinade overnight, absolutely delicious! I'll have to try it on the campfire next!
Love that ! Get that campfire hot, let it burn out and then drop that lamb (wrapped in there) and cover... That'll taste damn goooood!
Proper plan there! cheers!
Kleftiko - food of the Gods. Engaging video too.
Good video I will try this on Easter with fresh milk lamb in my wood oven 👌
That sounds fab!
@@TheoMichaelsCooks it was so amazing I love this recipe made it on Easter Monday and let it cook for about 5 hours and it almost tasted like veal thank you for that video 👍
@@kukuV.3 that’s awesome! Great to hear!
I made a very similar kleftico last night it was awesome, I never added onion and baked mine in a Pyrex dish but took the lid off for ten mins, oh and I added a glass of wine
Thats great! The last 10 minutes under high heat really bring it together.
That looks delicious!! I am going to do this today. Already bought the shoulder lamb yesterday. I could use oregano, i haven't got parsley. Should be fine.
+Darren Heath Oregano would be perfect! Let me know how you get on!
It went so well! Delicious!! I added a touch of chilli too. :D
+Darren Heath that's awesome Darren! Really pleased it was a success - chilli sounds like a nice touch!
Mouth watering dish!
Do you have a recipe of lamb with spinach in greek cypriot style. Thanks
Cha Auxtero Good timing! I'm working on that one - watch this space! SHould have something for you in a month! (check out my website www.theocooks.com for more recipes!)
Just pulled some lamb out of the freezer, gonna make it!
Mouth is watering
I am also in Viber's public chat " 2Forks Food and Restaurants
I was so happy when I saw that you deal with Greek cuisine!!👌
Marele thank you Marele! I'm pleased you enjoyed it - check out www.TheoCooks.com for lots more of my Greek and Cypriot recipes!
This is such a great video, so entertaining and informative. Your passion and knowledge of Greek food comes across as does you appealing personality. I will be making this. I have been working my way through Greek food classics for the past three years. We eat more Greek meals than most Greek families I expect.
Think I might have replied to this - but isn't showing so just wanted to ensure I gave you a big THANK YOU! for such a nice comment - it really makes this all worthwhile. What's your favourite Greek dish?!
Going to cook this for 4 big meat-eaters at the weekend so will use a whole shoulder of lamb. Will cook in a Weber BBQ for charcoal smokiness. I note that you cooked for 3 hours with the half shoulder so I wondered what the cooking time should be for the whole shoulder based on around 170c in the bbq?
An absolutely stunning way to cook lamb. Very well done, it's my favourite lamb dish by far. All the best to you and yours. (BTW, I subscribed, but there was no bell for notifications? Odd)
A very nice video and a very good recipe.
OMG.. THAT looks amazing!! Thanks for sharing! :)
Miss Judi It is! :) I'm pleased you liked it Miss Judi! Love to hear how you get on making it!
I made mine with shoulder chops - absolutely brilliant! I have a pic - wish I could post it :P .. However, it was delicious - thanx again! :)
Hey Judi that's brilliant! I love hearing about succesful cooking exploits! Well done you! Wish I could have seen them!
xxx
Thank you for this kleftiko recipe! I am ready to bake lamb chops and I will be making them in individual foil packets. Could you please advice on oven temperature and cooking time?
Thanks!
I love lamb. I love cooking it. That dish looks amazing. I do have a firepit in the backyard of my flat where I live. I wonder how that would work on there. My late maternal grandmother made lamb once. I tried it and loved it.
Dwayne Wladyka Cheers Dwayne! You've been a brilliant member of my community - thank you for your support!
Omfg, that looks amazing, thank you!
How delicious is this !!
Pretty delicious I'd say! xx
Hi, I am late to the party and just wondering, you have in the written portion of the recipe to add a pint of water, is that in a separate dish below? Thanks, can't wait to try this recipe, saw the cut of meat, bought it and had no idea what to do with it.
Definitely going to do this tomorrow with a couple of lamb shanks that I have. Could I add a bit of Graviera into the mix?
Be rude not to! :)
Thanks for this. Looks wonderful.
Just one question- would you not let it rest before eating?
Of course, but for the purposes of the video I wanted to show it straight away.
the original ofto kleftiko is slow cooked in a completely sealed off oven made from cement and is as hot as a fiery inferno,the meat must be from an old goat, atleast 3 years old, make sure you preheat the oven for about 12 hours until it gets really hot, place the meat in and some potatoes and seal the door with mud until its completely sealed of, let it sit there for atleast 5 hours, if not 12. thats how you make the original ofto
Sounds awesome - and just how I remember them making it in the Troodos Mountains in Cyprus. But if you want a cook at home version, give it a go!
Ghoulish Gamer yeah alright mate, the amount of money I’m going to waste heating the oven, I might as well fly to Cyprus and have Kleftiko at Militzis
@@skouloukouin idiano.. No use of a comment
@@skouloukouin lol. I looked into buying a good stone oven. Or, for the same money, you could fly to Crete, eat kleftiko, have their best wine, swim in the Agean for a week, and get a nice tan :) Oven works for me.
Im gonna send you a proper cutting board for xmas. it decalcifies my spine each time i see you rake your chefs knife across that rock for a cutting board. :) thumbs up
+Gary Miller Ha! I know... not my chopping board (or come to think of it not my kitchen either!) I do use a nice wooden one that is like a loving cosy duvet for my knives to work with.. But hey, I'm not one to turn away from a Chrismas present! :) Thanks for the comments Gary!
I use a granite ware pot and eliminate the aluminium foil. Comes out amazing.
looks delicious gonna give it a go in the week ...i let you know how i get on
Gail Turner Hey Gail! How did your kleftiko turn out?! Tx
Theo Michaels Hello Theo ..Yes it was amazing all three times that i have cooked it has been out of this world and my guests think so to. I have been so busy entertaining and inviting people over to show it off i forgot to let you know lol . My next guests are from Cyprus so i am sure they will love it too.Then i will move on to your next dish but the joy of Kleftiko and you recipe is that it cooks slowly while i entertained being a great host and deliver a fab meal as a result too..wonderful out of this world Thank you Theo. x
Gail Turner Oh that's brilliant!! I'm so pleased it's been working out so well for you! If you're enjoying the delights of traditional Cypriot cuisine you should test out my Stifado dish! th-cam.com/video/XM22m3AoUCQ/w-d-xo.html Txx
Big thank you to everyone so far that has watched, liked and commented on my Kleftiko recipe! It's so simple to cook, but oh-so delicious! Love receiving your comments so keep 'em coming!
Celsius or Fahrenheit? sorry if thats a dumb question
It has to be Celcius
sorry totally missed this question! Yes, Celsius.
Sorry totally missed this question! Yes, Celsius.
Looks absolutely stunning, great recipe, camera work is horrendous though .
Very nice mate
Cheers mate! Nothing like a large piece of slow cooked lamb to bring out your inner caveman!
Not bad! Not bad at all! 🇺🇸🇬🇷
Nice will try on a leg.
This looks amazing. I'm definitely going to try it once my seasickness from the camera work subsides.
Nice
Love that m8 🙏🔥❤️
Brilliant
Works for me!!!
Had the most amazing g kleftiko at a Greek restaurant last night, but it came with a tomato and pepper sauce, any idea what else I’d need to make a sauce to go with the lamb?
I’ve just just cooked this for my girlfriend after going on the beer 🍺 for two days and safe to say I’m back in the good books unbelievable recipe cheers 🍻 pal 🤣🤷♂️
Haha! Relationship counselling is all part of the service! :)
Great presentation Theo - and very entertaining.
I came back from a trip (my first) to Cyprus last week, and after eating kleftiko for the first time in my life, and enjoying it so much, went on to have it twice more in the week to compare other restaurants take on it!
All used thick cut lamb chops, but I am interested to try your version using lamb shoulder as it is such a cheap cut and I feel sure it responds to the slow cook. I was told that the the traditional method uses the residual heat from the clay/pit oven over a longer period.
I wonder if lamb shank might be an alternative cheap cut too?
Hi Paul, lamb chops are great but lean, which means they have a tendency to dry out - the shoulder is perfect! As is the lamb shank that will make a delicious kleftiko dish. In fact, if I were doing kleftiko and wanted to get 'fancy' you could do the same recipe but replace my shoulder with one lamb shank per person you were feeding - delish!
Let me know how you get on and thanks again for leaving me a comment!
Could I use my slow cooker for this recipe?
I’ve got a question Theo. I copied your recipe for kleftiko and it was lovely. I go to an amazing place in Larnaca famous for Kleftiko. I want to get as close as possible to the taste. My question is can I use my BBQ that has a cover as an alternative to a clay oven? Maybe I can use wood instead of coal? Any ideas please.
Authentic Cypriot Kleftiko requires authentic Cypriot apparatus. Namely, a clay oven, a clay casserole dish and wood.
That classic authentic flavour is a combination of the above; especially the manner in which the clay oven is sealed..here physics comes into the equation. You need to cover the casserole dish with either a heavy lid and/or heavy aluminium foil, and secondly, and the most important procedure...to seal the clay oven door with clay/mud..you MUST create an airtight environment.. Kleftiko is steamed more than pot roasted.
In the absence of an authentic sealed clay oven, I use my AGA's simmering oven (approximately 100c), to cook my Kleftiko; 5+ hours
1. Begin by searing the fat of the lamb in a cast iron frying pan prior to placing in the casserole pot; this adds that little extra flavour.
2. Use a casserole pot whereby the lid sit's inside the casserole dish's rim diameter as opposed to a lid which covers/overhangs the dish diameter...why? Because once you add your ingredients (including a glass of white wine and a small stick of cinnamon), into the dish, you need to make a thick water/cornflour mixture which you now will use to seal in the lid to the dish to create your artificial clay oven mud seal. I experimented with real mud.
3. Wrap in aluminium foil for extra insurance that you have created a 100% airtight seal.
Although the taste will not be exactly 100% authentic...because we're substituting a wood fired authentic clay oven for a cooker oven, you can help by adding smoked garlic instead of regular garlic.
Happy experimentation ;-)
Hi Gary, I take Christos comments; but its also about making do with what you've got. I would be tempted to wrap the whole thing up, wait for the coals to turn to ash and place the package straight on the coals. Then cover them with coals. Actually I'm going to test this this weekend on a camping trip so I'll let you know! Follow me on Instagram @theocooks
Nicely done kleftiko:-) Have you ever cooked it in slow cooker. Any difference in taste? How much time would it take? Thanks. Happy cooking... stay connected
I've not cooked it in a slow cooker before, but you could try. I would add little if any liquid, and leave it in for about 8 hours. You probably will find it doesn't colour very well, so if you can fry it first to give it some colour that might work well - let me know how you get on!
Theo Michaels , thank you for the tips. I will keep you posted...Happy cooking
@@TheoMichaelsCooks I've tried lamb in a slow cooker it's nice and tender, but it doesn't render the fat out. Plus I had to put in oven to crisp the fat up. Cooking slowly in the oven is far superior.
I tried this! Really easy recipe. The hardest part is waiting. My potatoes were almost burnt though, not sure how to prevent that
hey amazing. I will be trying it.when I get the meat,is it better to ask butcher to leave the fat rather than trim? thanks again
I'm making this dish on Saturday for my guests and I have convection oven. What the temperature would be in Fahrenheit? Thank you so much
Hi, I cook mine at about 170 celsius which is about 340 Fahrenheit - good luck!
Bravo bravo.
I'm trying this now.....
pollumG BOOM!! Go for it!
Look delicious.. i think would be great if wrap it in banana leaves... instead of foil?
I love that idea!