andrejthechef
CroatiaGrillDinnerDairy-free

Janjetina s Ražnja

Whole lamb roasted slowly on a spit over embers until the skin crisps and the meat turns tender. Served in pieces with bread and potatoes.

prep
30 min
cook
4 h
total
4 h 30 min
serves
10
level
hard
Janjetina s Ražnja, a dish from Dalmatian hinterland and other regions

Spit-roasted lamb is Croatia's big celebration dish, a whole lamb turning slowly over embers for hours until the skin crisps and the meat falls apart, traditionally cooked for weddings and holidays with people gathered around to watch.

A home oven version with a leg or shoulder, basted often through a long slow roast, gets you most of the way there without the spit.

Part of our 20 best Croatian recipes list.

method

  1. For a whole spit-roasted lamb, build a steady bed of embers, not an open flame, and set up the spit at a consistent distance above the coals.

  2. Rub the lamb all over with olive oil, crushed garlic, rosemary and coarse salt.

  3. Skewer the lamb securely on the spit and begin turning slowly and continuously over the embers, basting occasionally with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.

  4. Roast for 3.5 to 4.5 hours depending on size, turning constantly, until the skin is deep golden and crisp and the meat is tender enough to pull easily from the bone.

  5. For a home oven version with a leg or shoulder, rub with the same oil, garlic, rosemary and salt, and roast at 160°C (320°F) for 3 to 3.5 hours, basting occasionally, until fall-apart tender.

  6. Roast the potatoes alongside in the same pan juices for the last hour.

  7. Rest the meat for 15 to 20 minutes, then carve or pull into pieces.

  8. Serve with the roasted potatoes, spring onions and plenty of bread for the juices.

chef's tips

  • Constant, slow turning is what makes spit-roasted lamb different from a regular roast; it bastes itself continuously and crisps evenly on every side.
  • This is a celebration dish in Croatia, cooked for weddings, holidays and big family gatherings, often with the whole lamb turning for hours while people gather around to watch and talk.
  • A home oven version with a leg or shoulder captures the flavor well even without a spit, as long as you baste it regularly through the long, slow roast.
  • Bread for mopping up the juices is not an optional side here, it's part of how the dish is actually eaten.