Kuzu Tandır (Turkish Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder)
In short: Lamb shoulder rubbed with garlic and olive oil and roasted slowly under foil until it falls off the bone, then browned and served with its juices. It takes about 4 h 10 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 3 h 50 min
- Total
- 4 h 10 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 410 kcal
Kuzu tandır is lamb cooked so slowly that it falls off the bone: traditionally in a clay oven set in the ground, at home in a sealed pan in a low oven. It is a dish for Eid, weddings and family lunches, usually pulled apart at the table and served with rice pilaf. The method is easy and mostly hands-off, with the shoulder, garlic and onions doing the work over about four hours.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 160°C (325°F). Pat the lamb dry. Cut 6 small slits in the meat and push a half clove of garlic into each.
- Mix the oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper, thyme and cumin into a paste and rub it all over the lamb.
- Spread the onion rings and bay leaves in a deep roasting pan, set the lamb on top and pour the hot water around it.
- Cover the pan tightly with a double layer of foil and roast for 3 hours.
- Tuck the tomatoes and green peppers around the lamb, re-cover and roast for 30 minutes more.
- Remove the foil and raise the oven to 220°C (425°F). Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, basting with the pan juices, until the top is browned and a fork pulls the meat from the bone easily (about 90°C / 195°F inside).
- Rest the lamb for 15 minutes, loosely covered. Pull it into large pieces at the table and spoon the pan juices and vegetables over.
Tips
- Do not skip the foil. The sealed pan creates a steamy braise that makes the shoulder tender enough to pull apart.
- Lamb shanks work too. Use 4 shanks and cook them covered for about 2 1/2 hours before the uncovered finish.
Questions and answers
What is tandır?
A tandır is a traditional clay oven. The name also describes the slow-cooked, fall-apart meat it produces. At home, a covered pan in a low oven gives a similar tender result.
Can I make kuzu tandır ahead?
Yes. Roast it through the covered stage up to 2 days ahead and chill it in its juices. Reheat covered at 160°C (325°F) for 40 minutes, then finish uncovered in the hot oven.
What do you serve with kuzu tandır?
Rice pilaf, bread, a shepherd's salad and cacık. Leftover meat is excellent in flatbread wraps the next day.
How long does it take to make Kuzu Tandır (Turkish Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder)?
About 4 h 10 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 3 h 50 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Kuzu Tandır (Turkish Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder)?
About 410 kcal per serving, with 30 g of protein, 12 g of carbohydrates and 27 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 410 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 30 g |
| Carbohydrates | 12 g |
| Fat | 27 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Sodium | 850 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
