Foil baked lamb is one of those ideas that sounds almost too simple to be worth writing about – and then you eat it and wonder why you ever bothered with anything more complicated. The meat and vegetables cook together in the same parcel, the lemon and mint marinade does its work overnight, and the oven does the rest. One tray, one piece of foil, and very little to wash up afterwards.

From raw to plate – braised lamb shank with oregano, mint and redcurrant jus - Casa Adora

INGREDIENTS FOR FOIL BAKED LAMB

For the marinade

• 1 lamb shank, shoulder, or small leg (bone in)
• 3–4 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped
• A large bunch of fresh mint, leaves only, finely chopped
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• A drizzle of olive oil
• Black pepper, freshly ground

For the vegetables

• 1–2 carrots, sliced
• 1–2 sticks celery, sliced
• 1–2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1–2 onions, sliced
• A drizzle of olive oil
• Black pepper, freshly ground
• 1–2 bay leaves
• A pinch of dried oregano

METHOD

1. Combine the garlic, chopped mint, lemon juice and zest, olive oil, and black pepper in a large food bag. Add the lamb, seal, and massage everything together. Place in the fridge to marinate for up to 24 hours.
2. When ready to cook, remove the bag from the fridge and allow the lamb to come up to room temperature. Preheat the oven to its highest setting.
3. Lay a large piece of double-wrapped aluminium foil on a baking tray. Arrange the sliced carrot, celery, tomato, and onion in the centre. Drizzle with olive oil, season with black pepper, add the bay leaves and dried oregano, and toss to coat.
4. Place the lamb on top of the vegetables and pour over all of the marinade from the bag.
5. Wrap the foil loosely around the lamb and vegetables, folding the edges to seal but leaving a little space inside for steam to circulate. Place in the hot oven and immediately reduce the heat to 170°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4.
6. Cook for approximately 2 hours, or until the lamb is completely tender and pulling away from the bone.
7. Remove from the oven and transfer the lamb to a chopping board. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
8. The vegetables beneath the lamb will have absorbed the lemon and mint from the marinade and caramelised gently in their own juices. Serve them alongside the lamb – they need nothing more.

The Case for Foil Baked Lamb

There is a particular kind of cooking that asks very little of you and gives back considerably more than it has any right to. Foil baked lamb is exactly that. The preparation is straightforward – a marinade, a pile of vegetables, a sheet of foil – and once the parcel goes into the oven the work is done. What emerges two hours later is lamb that has been slowly steaming in its own juices alongside vegetables that have quietly absorbed every bit of lemon and mint from the marinade. It is, in the best possible sense, greater than the sum of its parts.

A shank works beautifully here, but a shoulder or a small leg on the bone is equally good. The bone matters – it adds depth to the cooking juices and keeps the meat moist through the long, gentle heat.

The Marinade

Lemon, mint, garlic, and olive oil is a combination with deep roots in Greek and Middle Eastern cooking, and it suits lamb in a way that feels entirely natural. The zest carries as much flavour as the juice – more, arguably – so do not skip it. Given time in the fridge, the marinade penetrates the meat rather than simply coating it. Overnight is ideal. A few hours will do.

If you enjoy mint with lamb – and if you do, my Nearly Colman's Mint Sauce is worth keeping in the fridge – you will find this marinade hits the same notes in a fresher, brighter way.

The Vegetables

The vegetables are not an afterthought. Cooked beneath the lamb for two hours, they absorb the dripping marinade and caramelise gently at the edges. Carrot, celery, tomato, onion – the classic base, treated simply. Use what needs finishing. The foil is accommodating.

One Tray, One Parcel

The joy of this dish is the washing up, or rather, the lack of it. One baking tray, one sheet of foil, and a food bag for the marinade. The broccoli I steamed on the side the first time I made this recipe was entirely optional – the vegetables inside the parcel are more than sufficient. Though I make no apologies for it.

This recipe is part of my Lamb & Goat Recipes — lamb and goat recipes from Casa Adora and the road.

This foil baked lamb recipe is also part of the Slow Cooker & Slow Cooking Recipes collection — braised meat, one-pot casseroles, confit, and slow roasts from Casa Adora and the road, gathered in one place. Browse all recipes here.

Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef