One pan recipe for slow roasted goat leg glazed with pomegranate syrup and served with baked potatoes. Tender and succulent meat that will impress your guests!
Slow roasted lamb (or goat) in the oven is widely favored in Greece, especially during Easter. The 40 days before Easter (Lent) many Lenten recipes like this taramasalata dip, this Greek brown lentil soup and these Baked giant beans (Gigandes Plaki) are very popular!
There are a lot of Mediterranean recipes, some pretty simple and forward and others more complicated and complex. In my island, Crete, maybe the most delicious of all is also the simplest ones. In this lamb (or goat) recipe, good quality meat gets rubbed with salt and pepper and is then barbecued (or baked in a wood-fired oven – YUM!) until done. That’s it! No other spices, no sauces, no butter, no olive oil, no nothing!
Salt and pepper are enough to make a dish you’ll remember for the rest of your life! BUT, (yeah… it seems there’s always a “but”!) the meat needs to be really good quality, meaning young, grass-fed and free-range if possible!
I don’t usually eat lamb or goat because of this reason. If the meat is not good enough, I find it has a strong taste/smell I cannot get accustomed to. I think this has something to do with the way the animals are raised and fed.
An animal that’s raised inside a stable, with no sun, with high levels of anxiety and low-quality food will taste a lot different from another one that’s raised in the fields, under the sun, happy, eating grass, herbs and other stuff.
So, when I happen to find a good piece of meat I don’t pass on the opportunity to cook something special! Sometimes, I’ll just stick with the Cretan tradition mentioned above and pop it in the oven with only some salt, pepper and a small drizzle of olive oil.
Others times, when I want something more festive, I’ll follow this recipe which uses a pomegranate syrup glaze. Pomegranate syrup, also known as pomegranate molasses, is just pomegranate juice that has been boiled down and concentrated into a thick sauce. It’s sweet and tangy and can be used in meat dishes and in salads as part of the dressing.
What temperature should goat meat be cooked to?
You don’t need an oven thermometer for this recipe and you don’t have to worry about the internal temperature of the meat. The slow roasting method cooks the meat perfectly and makes it fall-off-the-bone tender.
But if you just want to know, then for goat, the meat temperature should be about 150°F to 160 °F (65 °C – 70 °C).
How do you make goat meat tender?
First, you have to choose a young animal. Remember that the older the animal is, the more tough the meat will be.
Then, you should opt for a slow-roasting method which melts the collagen of the meat and turns it into gelatin, something that makes it tastier and much more tender. For this recipe, 356°F (180°C) may seem too high, but this is how it’s done for many years in most Greek homes and it works.
Some note/tips:
- Long baking time will make the meat tender, succulent, and fall-off-the-bone! Just remember that lamb needs a little more time to cook than goat because it is higher in fat.
- Search for good quality meat!
- Instead of pomegranate syrup, you can use maple syrup, honey or grape syrup.
- Don’t forget that goat/lamb meat loves rosemary and garlic!
- Since you’re already using garlic, wrap some whole bulbs aluminum foil and bake them in the pan to get caramelized, roasted garlic. When done, open the foil, cut the bottom of the bulb and squeeze into a jar. Top will olive oil and store in the fridge or freezer. For more information, check this article from the kitchn.
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One pan recipe for slow roasted goat leg glazed with pomegranate syrup and served with baked potatoes. Tender and succulent meat that will impress your guests!
- 3 pounds (1.3 Kg) goat leg with the bone (you can also use lamb)
- 2-3 cloves of garlic cut into little sticks
- 3-4 sprigs of rosemary
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 1/4 cups olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 pounds baby potatoes or potatoes peeled and cut into wedges
- 3 tablespoons pomegranate syrup, or grape syrup, maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Pomegranate arils for decoration, optional
- Aluminum foil
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Preheat your oven to 356°F (180°C)
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Rub the meat with salt and pepper. Make small incisions throughout the meat and put inside one stick of garlic and some rosemary.
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Place the meat and potatoes in a pan, add the wine and lemon juice, drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the oregano. Wrap well with foil and bake for 2 hours.
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Combine all the ingredients for the glaze in a bowl, and mix well. Remove foil and brush the meat with half of the glaze.
Return to the oven and bake uncovered for at least 30 more minutes or until the surface of the meat is deep brown and you can see the tissue separating from the bone.
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When the meat is almost done, brush once more with the rest of the glaze and bake for additional 5 minutes (this is the time to throw in some pomegranate arils). Take out of the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Eat!
Serve this dish with some Baba Ganoush or tzatziki to wow your family and friends!
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For a more traditional recipe, use only goat leg, salt and pepper, olive oil, some lemon juice and potatoes. Bake covered in the oven for 2 hours, uncover and continue baking until crispy and browned on the outside.
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- Cooking times may vary, depending on the type and age of the meat.
- If using lamp, increase baking time approximately 30 minutes.
- Don’t miss these minty Greek lamb kofta kebabs with yogurt and tomato sauce. They’re so juicy and tender, you’ll love them!
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- Similar recipes:
One pan mini meat loaves with potatoes
Greek oven baked frittata
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This is the most beautiful photo of lamb EVER! Stunning! And they look absolutely delish! I’ll definitely have to give them a try!
Thank you so much, Akhila!
Roasted goat (or lamb) leg is a very popular recipe in Greece! 🙂
Hi Makos, that goat leg looks beautiful and delicious. My husband and I just started a goat farm, we sell goat meat and live goats. I would love to move from farm to table concept restaurant.
I’m going to try your recipe today with the family.
If you’re ever in Alabama come and visit!
Thank you Maritza! Enjoy your meal!!!!
I wanna give a try for dinner
I’ll be cooking a goat leg like this for Easter
That’s great! 🙂
It came out perfect! Thank you. Easy and delicious
Very happy to hear that, thank you!
This turned out to be an excellent meal. Fabulously simple ingredients and a good piece of meat came together like a wonder. Even my two teens, who always mean when I experiment in the kitchen, had no complaints. A little early for Orthodox Easter, but as a blended family, so are our practices. Thankyou, Makos.
Hi Anne, I’m very happy you liked it!
Hope you and your family are safe and enjoy this Easter 🙂
Makos thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. I was able to source the goat leg from an amazing farmer near us who helps support teenagers without any work skills. He farms ethically and teaches them life skills and farm management, so the goat has had a wonderful life on his farm.
The recipe was unctuous and it made our heart sing! What more could you ask for?
Best wishes Ruth
Hi Ruth,
I’m very happy you liked the recipe 🙂
Also, we need more farmers like the one you mention! <3
Hi Makos. Your recipe requires one cup of wine, could i replace the wine with some thing else?
Hi Riz, the flavor will be a little different, but 1cup of vegetable or chicken broth (or even water) would be fine I guess.
🙂
This was absolutely fantastic… and that was despite having to substitute the coriander with paprika. The timings and temperature worked a treat, and the meat was very tender without having to treat it overnight. A huge thanks!
That’s so great! Thanks for the feedback ☺️
This is my second time making this recipe and is probably the only way I will do goat legs in the future. Absolutely mouth watering deliciousness… The glaze is excellent.
Thanks Dennis,
I’m very glad you liked it!
THE BEST!!!!!!! Amazingly beautiful taste….a big hit here that is for sure!!! Will be doing this one again!!!!! From Australia!
Thank you Jenny!
This looks perfect for my family.. however I’ll need to make 2. How would you adjust the cooking time? Thanks!
Hi Pilat,
If they have enough space in the pan the cooking time could be the same or half an hour longer. You will now when they’re ready when you pierce the meat with a fork and it’s very tender
We gave it a try and it was absolutely delicious!! Thank you
That’s great, thank you!
Can I cook this in a slow cooker?
Hi Rachel,
I haven’t done it in a slow cooker but I believe the result will be very different
Thank you for this. This has become my go to recipe whenever I want slow cooked leg of lamb or goat. It never fails and always impresses. If the leg ( or legs) are small enough, I use my Dutch oven. Larger ones get the pan and foil. It works great both ways. If you are looking for an easy and reliable recipe for leg of lamb or goat, have faith in this one. It always delivers.
That’s great Ian! Thank you for the feedback 🙂
This looks amazing. The goat leg I have is 4 lbs. How should I adjust cooking time and temperature?
Hi Irene, it may need about 30 minutes more. In any case, check it with a fork and if it’s not tender enough bake it a little longer 🙂
Thank you for your quick response. Making for Easter! Do you think I should add potatoes in later then?
Yes, that’s what I would do 🙂
Happy Easter!