Antikristo

Name: Antikristo
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 255 min
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1.6 kg bone-in lamb shoulder; 800 g lamb breast ribs; 1 tbsp coarse sea salt; 200 ml water; 2 lemons

Antikristo: Cretan lamb roasted slowly 'facing' the fire, adapted for a home oven

Features:

High protein Dairy free

Cuisine:

Greek

Antikristo means 'facing each other', and in the Psiloritis mountain villages above Anogeia it describes big pieces of lamb on long skewers set upright round a wood fire, turned now and then for four or five hours until the fat has dripped away and the meat is smoky and crisp. At village feasts and saint's-day fairs it is carved straight from the skewer onto paper with nothing more than salt and a squeeze of lemon. This home version roasts salted lamb shoulder and ribs slowly in the oven, then finishes them hot for crackling edges. Common mistake: adding herbs and marinades; the Cretan way is only coarse salt, so the lamb's own flavour comes through. Chef's tip: salt the meat the night before and leave it uncovered in the fridge so the surface dries and crisps.

Total time: 255 min
Difficulty: easy
Serves: 6

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Ingredients

Serves6

3 ½ lb bone-in lamb shouldercut by the butcher into 4–5 large pieces
1 ¾ lb lamb breast ribsin 2 racks
1 tbsp coarse sea salt
¾ cup water
2 lemonscut into wedges

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What you'll need

Baking tray

Spices & pantry

coarse sea salt

Fresh ingredients (3)

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Method

0/6 done

Step 1: The day before, rub 3 ½ lb bone-in lamb shoulder and 1 ¾ lb lamb breast ribs all over with 1 tbsp coarse sea salt. Lay on a rack over a tray and leave uncovered in the fridge overnight.
5 min
Step 2: Take the lamb out of the fridge 45 minutes before cooking. Heat the oven to 300°F (275°F fan).
45 min
Step 3: Set the lamb on a rack over a roasting tin with ¾ cup water in the bottom, so the fat drips away and doesn't burn. Roast for 3 hours, turning the pieces every hour.
180 min
Step 4: Check the shoulder: the meat should pull easily from the bone and register at least 190°F near the bone for this falling-apart texture. Top up the water in the tin if it dries out.
Step 5: Turn the oven up to 425°F (400°F fan) and roast for 20–30 minutes more, until the outside is deep brown and crisp at the edges.
25 min
Step 6: Rest for 10 minutes, then cut into chunks on a board and serve with 2 lemons and plenty of bread.
10 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 610 kcal
Protein: 48 g
Carbs: 2 g
Fat: 46 g
Fibre: 0 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does antikristo take?: About 255 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 240 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?: 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it gluten free?: Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
What can I use instead of lemons?: Lime, or 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice per lemon (no zest from bottled juice).

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