Roasting a whole lamb on a spit is easier than you think and this guide will help you plan a successful lamb roast and cook it with confidence.
Having Greek friends has its benefits and one of those is celebrating Greek Orthodox Easter with them and enjoying the tradition of Ovelias, where a Greek Easter lamb is roasted on a spit. Over the years I gradually went from just enjoying the roasted lamb to learning how to cook a whole lamb on a spit. Here is what I learned from my Greek friends.
Where To Buy A Whole Lamb
Surprisingly, it’s easier than you think to find a whole lamb for purchase. There are several options with some varying by your location and the availability being even more likely in the Spring, hence the name Spring lamb.
- Local Butcher Shops or Meat Markets: Many local butchers carry whole lambs, simply call in advance to confirm.
- Online Meat Stores: There are many online meat stores that ship whole lambs throughout the U.S. Just make sure you read the reviews and purchase from reputable sources.
- Farms & Ranches: Many farms and ranches that raise lambs also sell them locally while a fair amount are also willing to ship throughout the U.S.
- Costco or Costco Business Centers: Some Costco’s throughout the U.S. carry whole lambs as well as Costco Business Centers.
- Restaurant Depot: If you’re a restaurant or caterer with access to Restaurant Depot then most likely you’ll find a whole lamb in their amazing meat section.
- Halal Butchers: Lamb is considered halal so if you know of a halal butcher in your area, there is a good chance they carry whole lambs.
- Farmers’ Markets: You may not find whole lamb available at the market but one of the farmers or vendors may be able to tell you where to find one.
The price of a whole lamb will vary based on quality, freshness, how they’re raised (e.g. pasture raised), type of lamb, and location. Typically, whole lambs are $3.50 to $12.00 a pound with the more expensive lambs coming from pasture raised, grass-fed farms and never frozen.
Storing A Whole Lamb
Whole lambs should be refrigerated at 40°F or below for up to 3 to 5 days and kept frozen at 0°F or below for up to 3 to 4 months.
Most people won’t have a refrigerator or freezer large enough to store so be prepared to store it in an ice chest or bath tub that is large enough to hold a whole lamb and ice. The USDA has a useful Farm to Table guide for storing and handling lamb.
Equipment You’ll Need
Spit Roaster – You’ll need a large cross-shaped spit, open fire pit or kettle grill. We used this stainless steel rotisserie grill from Ash & Ember. They were known as Titan Outdoor Grills when this was purchased which is why’ll you’ll see the Titan logo in the pictures.
Charcoal – If you prefer a smokey flavor add wood whips such as mesquite, hickory or cherry on top. If you’re using hardwood, you’ll need about 50 to 70 pounds of oak or birch. Depending on the spit roaster you’re using hardwood lump coal might work as well.
Twine – Use butcher’s twine, also known as cooking twine, to stitch the lamb after stuffing with seasonings.
Knives – A quality sharp knife is recommended and always cut against the grain when carving. An 8 to 12 inch paring or carving knife works best to cut the meat while a boning knife will work best to remove skin and bone. A Brazilian knife and cleaver will also work.
Large cutting board – I recommend a large cutting board to carve the lamb. This will make it much easier to carve and prevents ruining any other surfaces with stray cuts.
Roast Lamb Ingredients
- 25 – 35 pound whole lamb – You’ll get about fifty percent meat from a whole lamb.
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Cloves of garlic
- Lemons
- Fresh rosemary sprigs
Basting Mixture
- Fresh Lemon Juice
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Sprigs of fresh rosemary
Refer to the roast lamb recipe card below for the complete ingredients list with measurements and instructions.
Lamb Doneness Temperature Chart
We cook the lamb medium-rare to medium as any higher and you risk drying it out.
| Preferred Doneness | Pull Temperature | Final Internal Temperature* |
| Medium Rare | 135˚F | 145˚F |
| Medium | 150˚F | 160˚F |
| Well | 160˚F | 170˚F |
*The USDA recommends cooking lamb to 145°F. By resting the lamb for 15 to 20 minutes prior to carving, the internal temperature will continue to rise about 10 degrees to your desired final internal temperature.
The best way to check doneness is with a digital instant-read thermometer.
Tips & Variations
Greek Style Tradition – For the Greeks this is a social event so invite your friends over to help prepare and roast the lamb. When the lamb is almost done, carve of off a few pieces while on the spit. The combination of skin and juicy meat will melt in your mouth!
Oven Baked Lamb – Alternatively, you can cut the lamb into large pieces and roast the individual pieces in the oven. Bon Appétit has an excellent video guide on butchering an entire lamb. Once ready to roast, preheat the oven to 300°F, place the lamb pieces in a roasting pan, and roast for 3 to 4 hours until the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
Pre-Cut Whole Lamb – If you don’t have a spit roaster or simply prefer a pre-cut whole lamb some butchers and specialty meat purveyors like Stemple Creek Ranch and Grand Teton Meat will do this for you.
Roasting Time Factors – Type of heat, weather, wind, size of lamb and an open or half-closed spit can affect cooking time.
Head of the Lamb or Not – This is a presentation preference where many guests may prefer not to see a lamb roasting with its head on.
How To Roast A Whole Lamb On A Spit
Roasting a whole lamb on a spit is easier than you think and this guide will help you plan a successful lamb roast and cook it with confidence.
Ingredients
- 1 25 - 35 pound whole lamb
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1/4 cup freshly ground black pepper
- 12 cloves of garlic, whole
- 6 lemons, halved
- 10 sprigs fresh rosemary
Basting Mixture
- 3 cups fresh lemon Juice
- 3 cups olive oil
- 1 tbs kosher salt
- 1 tbs freshly ground black pepper
- 2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Rinse the lamb with water to remove any stray hairs or dirt and dry with paper towels.
- Place the lamb on its side on a large cutting board, or use trash bags, and use two lemon halves to rub the lamb inside and out, reserve lemon halves for placing inside the lamb.
- Liberally season the lamb inside and out with salt and pepper and fill the cavity with the lemon halves, garlic cloves, and rosemary sprigs (save a couple for basting).
- Stitch the stomach cavity with twine to seal the seasoning. Use an eye needle, end of a pointy knife or screwdriver to make the holes for threading.
- Skewer the lamb through the front and back cavities and secure with "U" clamps to prevent the lamb from spinning. Bind the front legs with twine while interlocking and binding the hind legs. This may slightly vary by rotisserie spit.
- Preheat the coals until they're red hot, about 30 minutes and ensure that the lamb has come to room temperature, about 30 to 60 minutes.
- Once ready, place the lamb at the lowest rung level of the spit and roast for 1 hour.
- Combine the basting mixture ingredients of lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Use the rosemary sprigs as the basting brush and baste every 20 to 30 minutes.
- After 1 hour place the lamb at the highest rung level of the spit for 3 hours.
- Lower the lamb to the middle or lowest rung for the remaining time and until it reaches at least a medium rare pull temperature of 135 degrees Fahrenheit (see temp chart for doneness levels). Temperature should be measured in the thickest part of the lamb, the leg or shoulder area.
- Allow the lamb to rest for 15 to 20 minutes, then carve.
Notes
For best results and easy day of roasting, season, stitch and skewer the lamb the day before (steps 1-5).
Monitor the charcoal level to maintain heat, and add more charcoal as needed.
Cook time is an estimate and many factors will affect time. Use an instant read thermometer and pull by desired temperature.
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