Try this classic Greek lamb stifado recipe for Easter or any occasion. The lamb shoulder and shallots turn fall-apart tender, and the rich sauce is flavored with red wine, vinegar, and warm spices like cinnamon and cloves.
Iโve made this lamb stifado so many times. I first had it in a taverna in Greece and loved it so much that I started cooking it at home. Itโs a classic, simple dish that never disappoints - you can make it for the family or serve it to guests, and you can be sure everyone will ask for seconds.
I make lamb stew really often; they are always a delight. Check out Romanian Lamb Stew or the Lamb and Potato Stew. I could not even say which one I prefer; they are all amazing.
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Recipe ingredients
Lamb shoulder cut into small pieces.
Small shallots, red or white. Ideally, you would use kokaria, the small, round, pearl-like onions traditionally used in Greece. However, as they are not available where I live, I always buy the smallest shallots I can find. I often get two or three small bags of shallots so that I can pick out the tiniest ones for making lamb stifado.
Ingredients for the marinade: Dry red wine, red wine vinegar, garlic, and warm, aromatic spices like cloves, peppercorns, allspice, bay leaves and a cinnamon stick. Try these marinated Greek Lamb Chops, too; they are amazing!
Sauce ingredients: One can of chopped tomatoes, some tomato paste, a bit of olive oil, and more spices.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make lamb stifado?
Step #1: Remove the fat cap and silver skin from the lamb shoulder, then cut the meat into chunks. Mix them with salt, pepper, and garlic.
Step #2: Add wine, vinegar, and the whole spices. Mix, cover the bowl with cling film, and leave to marinate for 3 to 6 hours. Lift the meat from the marinade with a slotted spoon, but donโt discard the liquid.
Step #3: Peel the onions and brown them in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Remove them from the pot.
Step #4: Dry the meat pieces with paper towels and brown them in batches in the same pot.
Step #5: Return all the meat and onions to the pot. Add the reserved marinade, spices, tomato paste and tomatoes.
Step #6: Simmer on low heat; it takes me about 2 hours, but start checking after 1 ยฝ hours already; the meat should be really, really tender. Stir occasionally.
Good to know!
Check the meat regularly to ensure itโs tender but not falling apart completely. The cooking time will depend on the quality of the meat, the size of the pieces, how long itโs marinated, and the type of pot you use.
You can make stifado with lamb leg, too. While lamb shoulder is traditional, lamb leg works too. Itโs leaner, so you might need to cook it a bit longer to get it tender. Just cut it into smaller chunks for even cooking.
Make in advance, store, and reheat
Making Greek lamb stifado in advance is a great idea! In fact, I always do that. I rarely serve any stew on the day it's cooked. Stews taste even better the next day as the flavors have more time to develop and meld together, making the dish richer and more flavorful. Be sure to check out this amazing Lamb Curry with Coconut Milk and the Slow Cooker Lamb Casserole as well.
Refrigerate stifado in the covered pot or refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container.
Freeze the leftovers in an airtight container for about 3 months. Defrost in the fridge.
Reheat lamb stifado in a pot on the stovetop or the microwave.
Lamb Stifado
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or another heavy-bottomed pan
- Large, flat bowl
- Slotted spoon
Ingredients
Lamb and marinade ingredients:
- 3 - 3ยฝ lbs lamb shoulder Notes 1, 2
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ยฝ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 5 garlic cloves grated
- 1 ยฝ cups dry red wine
- ยผ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 thin cinnamon stick
- 4 bay leaves
- 5 whole cloves
- 6 allspice berries
- 10 peppercorns
Stifado ingredients:
- 1 lb small shallots Note 3
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 teaspoons oregano Greek oregano, if available
- 1 ยฝ teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder
- 1 ยฝ tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 can chopped tomatoes 14 oz/ 400 g
Instructions
Marinate the lamb:
- Prepare the lamb: Remove the fat cap and silver skin from the lamb shoulder, then cut the meat into chunks about 1.6 - 2 inches/ 4 - 5 cm in size. Place the pieces in a bowl and mix them with salt, pepper, and grated garlic.3 - 3ยฝ lbs lamb shoulder + 1 teaspoon fine sea salt + ยฝ teaspoon ground black pepper + 5 garlic cloves grated
- Marinate: Add wine, vinegar, and all the spices needed for the marinade: cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, allspice, and peppercorns. Cover the bowl with cling film and marinate in the refrigerator for 3 to 6 hours.1 ยฝ cups dry red wine + ยผ cup red wine vinegar + 1 thin cinnamon stick + 4 bay leaves + 5 whole cloves + 6 allspice berries + 10 peppercorns
Make lamb stifado:
- Shallots: Peel the shallots. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the pot, then add the shallots. Brown them evenly by shaking the pot occasionally to ensure they brown all over (2-4 minutes). Remove them from the pot.1 lb small shallots
- Pat the meat dry: While the shallots cook, remove the lamb from the marinade with a slotted spoon. Donโt discard the marinade; you will add it to the pot later. Place the lamb pieces on paper towels and dry them well.
- Brown lamb: Add another tablespoon of oil to the pot and brown the lamb pieces in 2 or 3 batches, depending on the size of the pot โ donโt overcrowd the pot, or the lamb will start stewing instead of browning. Brown the pieces for about 2 minutes per side. Add a bit more oil between the batches if necessary.
- Return all the meat and the shallots to the pot. Add the reserved marinade, oregano, sugar, paprika, tomato paste, and chopped tomatoes. Stir to combine.2 teaspoons oregano + 1 ยฝ teaspoons granulated sugar + 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder + 1 ยฝ tablespoons tomato paste + 1 can chopped tomatoes
- Simmer lamb stifado: Bring everything to a boil on medium-high heat. Turn the heat down and cover the pot, leaving a small crack open. Simmer gently on low heat until the meat is very tender. It usually takes me about 2 hours, but you should start checking a bit earlier (Note 4).
- Serve: Adjusting the taste is usually not needed, but itโs a good idea to check. Add more salt and pepper if you feel it needs it. I recommend making lamb stifado one day in advance. Let the food cool completely, and refrigerate the covered pot until the next day. Reheat gently on the stovetop.
Notes
- Lamb: You can make stifado with lamb leg as well. Itโs leaner than lamb shoulder, so it might take a bit longer to become tender. Just cut it into smaller chunks for even cooking.
- Meat amount: I had about 2.7 lbs/1.2 kg of meat left after removing the fat cap and the silver skin.
- Onions: Traditionally, Greek pearl-like onions, called kokaria, are used. However, since theyโre mostly unavailable, I use the smallest shallots I can find. I usually buy 2 or 3 bags and pick out only the smallest shallots for this dish, using the rest in everyday cooking.
- Cooking time: Keep an eye on the meat as it cooks to make sure it stays tender without falling apart. The cooking time can vary depending on the meatโs quality, the size of the pieces, how long it was marinated, and the type of pot used.
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