Kuzu Tandir (Turkish Roasted Lamb)

What is Kuzu Tandir?

In Turkish, kuzu means lamb, and tandır refers to a traditional cooking method where food is cooked slowly. The word tandır originally comes from an old-style clay oven, where meat would cook for hours until it became extremely tender.

So, Kuzu Tandır simply means lamb cooked using the tandır method. Over time, the name stayed the same even though today it’s often made in a regular oven at home. What matters is not the oven itself, but the idea behind it: long cooking, very little effort, and lamb that turns soft, juicy, and full of flavor.

In this post, we’ll show you how to make kuzu tandir in a home oven, with the same taste and texture you’d expect from a traditional tandir.

About the Ingredients

You can find the full list of ingredients with their exact measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Lamb leg (bone-in):
We use a whole bone-in lamb leg for this recipe. Ours weighed about 2.3 kilograms (around 5 pounds). This amount easily feeds 4 people with generous portions, or up to 6 people when served with side dishes.

Spices:
Just salt and black pepper. That’s it. In traditional kuzu tandir recipes, no extra spices are used so the natural flavor of the lamb really stands out. Of course, if you prefer, you can season it to your own taste.

Olive oil:
We use olive oil simply to help spread the salt and pepper evenly over the lamb.

Fresh thyme:
Lamb and thyme are a classic combination. It’s optional, but we really love the aroma it adds while the lamb is cooking.

Prepare the Lamb Leg for Roasting

Take the lamb leg out of the fridge about 1 hour before cooking and leave it on the counter. This helps the meat lose its chill and cook more evenly in the oven.

Lamb leg usually comes with a thick layer of fat on top. Using a sharp knife, carefully remove most of this fat, taking your time so you don’t damage the meat underneath.

Once the fat is removed, make a few shallow cuts on both sides of the lamb. This helps the seasoning reach the meat better.

Season the lamb generously with salt and black pepper, then drizzle a little olive oil over it. Use your hands to spread everything evenly all over the lamb.

And that’s it. This is the only preparation the lamb needs before going into the oven.

How to Make Kuzu Tandir

You can find the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

Making kuzu tandır at home is easier than you might think. It looks impressive and tastes rich, but the effort is minimal. The only thing you really need is time, since it cooks for several hours, so a bit of planning is key.

To start, place two medium oven-safe dishes filled with water on the bottom of your oven to create steam, then preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). The lamb is placed in a roasting dish, wrapped tightly in damp baking paper, and sealed well with aluminum foil so no air can escape.

The lamb cooks covered for about 3.5 hours, slowly and gently. Once it’s fully tender, it’s uncovered, basted with its own juices, and returned to the oven for a short time until the top is nicely browned. After a brief rest, the meat is pulled apart and served with the rich cooking juices.

Why We Add Water to the Oven

Placing water on the bottom of the oven creates steam as the lamb cooks. This extra moisture helps prevent the meat from drying out during the long cooking time.

Before turning the oven on, we place two medium oven-safe dishes filled with water on the very bottom of the oven, then start preheating. This way, the oven is moist from the very beginning. It’s a simple step, but it makes a big difference in achieving soft, juicy kuzu tandır.

Serving Suggestions

Once the lamb is shredded, there are many ways to serve kuzu tandır.

Serve it with pilafs:

• Turkish rice pilav
• Bulgur pilavi
• İç pilav (Rice with Currants and Pine Nuts)

Simply place the boneless lamb over the pilaf and spoon some of the cooking juices on top.

Serve it with bread:

• Pide bread
• Lavash

On the side, we highly recommend a fresh green salad. Something simple like a Turkish-style lettuce salad called mevsim salatası balances the richness of the lamb perfectly.

If you’re making this dish for guests and want to create a full table with more variety, you can easily add a few mezes.

• Haydari
• Carrot tarator
• Ezme

Storage & Reheating

Let the leftover lamb cool completely, then store it with all its juices in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It keeps well for up to 4 days.

For reheating, place the lamb in a pan or an oven-safe dish and add the cooking juices to keep it moist. Cover and reheat gently either on the stovetop or in a preheated oven (180°C / 350°F) for about 20 minutes, until warmed through. Avoid high heat, as it can dry out the meat.

Can I Make It Ahead?

Kuzu tandır is actually a great make-ahead dish. You can cook it fully, let it cool, and store it in the same pan in the refrigerator with all its juices.

When you’re ready to serve, reheat it gently. Keep the lamb in the same pan, and reheat covered in a preheated 180°C / 350°F oven until warmed through, for about 20-30 minutes.

You also have another option. After cooking the lamb covered for 3.5 hours, you can take it out of the oven, let it cool without removing the foil and the baking paper. Store it in the refrigerator without finishing the last browning step.

On the day you plan to serve it, take the lamb out of the fridge about 30 minutes ahead, preheat the oven to 200°C, and reheat it covered for about 30 minutes. Then uncover it and roast for another 15–20 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned.

Choose whichever method feels easier for you.

More Lamb Recipes

• Kuzu Guvec
• Lamb Shish Kebab
• Sac Kavurma

You Might Also Like