Why our roast lamb takes 12 hours, at what temperature, and what happens to the meat. Everything we learned about slow-roasting lamb.
Most lamb in Bosnia is spit-roasted for two to three hours. The result is good when the roaster is good, but the meat next to the bone often stays tough and the outer layer dries out. We roast differently: 12 hours, at low temperature, under a lid. Here is why.
What happens in 12 hours
Lamb has a lot of connective tissue, especially the shoulder and leg. Collagen only turns into gelatin at around 70°C, and slowly. A short, hot roast has no time for that change, so the meat stays firm. Held at 110 to 120°C through the night, the collagen melts slowly, the meat becomes juicy and falls off the bone, and the fat renders evenly into the muscle.
Our method, step by step
- A Romanov sheep lamb, up to four months old, from our own farm.
- Rubbed with coarse salt only, no marinades to mask the flavour of the meat.
- Into the wood-fired oven in the evening, at 110 to 120°C, in a covered pan.
- For the first 10 hours the meat is not touched. For the last two we remove the lid so the skin crisps.
- It rests 20 minutes before serving, then is cut along the bone, never into thin slices.
Why you can't get this everywhere
Twelve hours of roasting means the roast is planned a day ahead and cannot be "topped up" if more guests arrive. That is why we ask for reservations, especially on Saturdays. It is the price we pay so the lamb is the same every time: tender, juicy, tasting of meat rather than smoke.
Can you do it at home
Yes, in an oven at 120°C, in a covered dish, eight to ten hours for a two-kilogram shoulder. But a market lamb is not the same as a lamb that grazed on our meadow. So the easiest recipe is: come to Kiseljak.
Taste the lamb you just read about
Book a table in Kiseljak, 30 minutes from Sarajevo. On weekends we recommend booking a day ahead.