📝 About This Recipe
The centerpiece of Greek Easter celebrations, Arni Sti Souvla is more than a meal; it is a ritual of patience, fire, and community. A whole spring lamb is seasoned simply with Mediterranean sea salt, wild oregano, and black pepper, then slow-roasted over natural hardwood coals for hours until the skin turns into a golden, crackling parchment and the meat becomes butter-tender. This dish captures the smoky essence of the Greek countryside, offering a primal and deeply satisfying flavor profile that defines Mediterranean outdoor cooking.
🥗 Ingredients
The Lamb
- 10-12 kg Whole Spring Lamb (cleaned and prepared by a butcher)
- 4 Lemons (halved, for rubbing the cavity)
The Dry Rub
- 1/2 cups Coarse Sea Salt (adjust based on lamb size)
- 3 tablespoons Black Pepper (freshly cracked)
- 4 tablespoons Dried Greek Oregano (wild-grown is best)
- 10-12 cloves Garlic (peeled and slivered)
Ladolemono Basting Sauce
- 2 cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil (high quality Greek oil)
- 1 cup Fresh Lemon Juice (from about 4-6 lemons)
- 1 tablespoon Dried Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Hardware & Fuel
- 15-20 kg Hardwood Charcoal (lump charcoal preferred)
- 1 Heavy Duty Spit (with motor and secure forks)
- 1 roll Stainless Steel Wire (food grade, for securing the spine)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Thoroughly clean the lamb inside and out with damp paper towels. Rub the entire interior cavity with halved lemons to neutralize scents and prep the surface for seasoning.
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2
Using a small paring knife, make small incisions in the thickest parts of the legs and shoulders. Insert the garlic slivers deep into these slits.
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3
Mix the salt, pepper, and 4 tablespoons of oregano in a bowl. Generously rub this mixture inside the cavity and all over the exterior of the lamb, massaging it into the skin.
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4
Thread the spit through the lamb, entering from the rear and exiting through the skull. Secure the back legs and shoulders tightly using the spit forks.
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5
Crucial Step: Use the steel wire to 'stitch' the spine of the lamb to the spit in at least 3 places. This prevents the lamb from 'flopping' or spinning independently of the spit as the meat softens during cooking.
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6
Sew the belly cavity shut using the steel wire and a large upholstery needle or by making small punctures in the skin. Ensure the lamb is perfectly balanced on the spit.
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7
Prepare your charcoal bed. Light the charcoal and wait until it is covered in grey ash. Arrange the coals in two long piles corresponding to the position of the shoulders and the legs, leaving the middle section with fewer coals to prevent burning the thinner loin.
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8
Mount the spit at the highest position (about 12-15 inches above the coals). Start the motor. The first hour should be a slow warming process to dry the skin.
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9
Prepare the Ladolemono by whisking olive oil, lemon juice, and oregano in a bowl. After the first hour of roasting, begin lightly basting the lamb every 30 minutes using a long brush.
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10
Monitor the heat constantly. If the fat starts dripping and causing flare-ups, move the coals slightly outward or sprinkle a little ash/water on the flames.
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11
After 3 hours, lower the spit slightly if the meat isn't browning sufficiently. The lamb is done when the internal temperature of the thickest part of the leg reaches 165°F (74°C) for a traditional well-done but juicy texture.
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12
For the final 20 minutes, move the coals directly under the lamb and stop basting to allow the skin to crisp up into 'patsa' (crackling).
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13
Carefully remove the spit from the heat. Let the lamb rest vertically or on a large carving board for at least 20-30 minutes before cutting. This ensures the juices redistribute.
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14
Remove the wires and forks. Carve the lamb into rustic chunks, ensuring everyone gets a piece of the crispy skin.
💡 Chef's Tips
Balance is everything; if the lamb is off-center on the spit, the motor will strain and the meat will cook unevenly. Use natural lump charcoal rather than briquettes for a cleaner, more authentic smoky flavor. Don't rush the process; if the skin is browning too fast, raise the spit rather than removing coals. Keep a spray bottle of water nearby to manage grease fires instantly without cooling down the whole pit. Always salt the lamb more than you think you need; much of it will drip off with the fat during the long roast.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with warm pita bread and a thick, garlicky Tzatziki sauce. Pair with a crisp Greek Horiatiki (village) salad featuring vine-ripened tomatoes and feta. Roasted lemon potatoes cooked in the drippings under the spit are the traditional accompaniment. Serve with a robust Greek red wine like a Xinomavro to cut through the richness of the fat. Provide plenty of fresh lemon wedges for guests to squeeze over their meat at the table.