Chef Dimitra
Aegean Island Katsiki sti Souvla (Κατσίκι στη Σούβλα)
Aegean Easter goat on the spit, lean and full-flavored, turned slowly over charcoal and basted with lemon, oregano, garlic, and good olive oil.
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Roumeli Kontosouvli (Κοντοσούβλι Ρούμελης)
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Roumeli kontosouvli is lamb cut big, marinated simply, and turned over coals until the edges char and the center stays juicy. Cut it small and you've lost the dish.
Main Dishes
Greek
BBQ
Outdoor Dining
Celebration
35 min
Active Time
1 hr 20 min cook•1 hr 55 min total
Yield6 servings
Kontosouvli belongs to Roumeli and the mountain table of Central Greece, where celebration meat goes over coals in pieces large enough to stay alive inside. The word says it plainly: konto souvli, the short spit. It isn't souvlaki made bigger for drama. It is its own thing, lamb shoulder cut in heavy chunks, scented with oregano, wine, lemon, garlic, and olive oil, then turned until the fat shines and the edges catch black.
The cut is the whole lesson. Keep the lamb in pieces of 5-6cm, with a little fat left on them, because the outside needs time to brown before the center is done. Make them small and they dry out while you're waiting for color. Make them big, press them close on the spit, and the meat protects itself. Good olive oil, and patience.
I record the Roumeli lamb version here, because the region is the dish's surname. Pork kontosouvli is common in tavernas, and beef appears in some butcher counters now, but lamb shoulder is the meat I trust for a home cook who wants the old feast table without a whole animal on the spit. Nothing clever is needed. The coals do the work if you don't rush them.
Kontosouvli developed as the smaller, more practical relative of whole-animal spit roasting in mainland Greece, especially Roumeli, Thessaly, and Epirus, where lamb, kid, and pork were tied to feast days and outdoor cooking. Its name means short spit, separating it from both souvlaki, with its small quick-cooking pieces, and the Easter whole lamb, which belongs to a different scale of ritual. In modern grill houses the dish spread across Greece, but the older logic stayed the same: large pieces, slow turning, and charcoal heat.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
boneless lamb shoulder
Quantity
1.8kg
cut into 5-6cm chunks
extra virgin Koroneiki olive oil
Quantity
120ml
dry white wine
Quantity
80ml
fresh lemon juice
Quantity
60ml
red wine vinegar
Quantity
2 tablespoons
garlic cloves
Quantity
5
grated
dried Greek oregano
Quantity
2 tablespoons
sweet paprika
Quantity
2 teaspoons
freshly ground black pepper
Quantity
1 teaspoon
fine sea salt
Quantity
18g
bay leaves
Quantity
2
crumbled
large onions
Quantity
2
cut into thick wedges
large green peppers
Quantity
2
cut into wide pieces
lemons
Quantity
3
halved, for serving
flat-leaf parsley (optional)
Quantity
1 tablespoon
chopped
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| boneless lamb shouldercut into 5-6cm chunks | 1.8kg |
| extra virgin Koroneiki olive oil | 120ml |
| dry white wine | 80ml |
| fresh lemon juice | 60ml |
| red wine vinegar | 2 tablespoons |
| garlic clovesgrated | 5 |
| dried Greek oregano | 2 tablespoons |
| sweet paprika | 2 teaspoons |
| freshly ground black pepper | 1 teaspoon |
| fine sea salt | 18g |
| bay leavescrumbled | 2 |
| large onionscut into thick wedges | 2 |
| large green pepperscut into wide pieces | 2 |
| lemonshalved, for serving | 3 |
| flat-leaf parsley (optional)chopped | 1 tablespoon |
Equipment Needed
- •long flat metal skewer or rotisserie spit, 60-80cm
- •charcoal grill with rotisserie support
- •instant-read thermometer
- •wide nonreactive marinating dish
Instructions
- 1
Cut the Meat
Cut the lamb shoulder into large 5-6cm chunks, leaving a little fat attached. This is the step that decides kontosouvli. Small cubes dry before the middle cooks; big pieces give you char outside and meat still juicy within. Put the meat in a wide nonreactive bowl.
- 2
Make the Marinade
Whisk together the olive oil, wine, lemon juice, vinegar, grated garlic, oregano, paprika, black pepper, salt, and crumbled bay leaves. Pour it over the lamb and turn the pieces with your hands until every surface is coated.
- 3
Marinate Overnight
Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight. Turn the meat once if you remember. The wine and lemon should scent the lamb, not cook it pale and tight, so don't leave it more than 24 hours.
- 4
Prepare the Coals
Light hardwood charcoal and let it burn down until the coals are glowing and covered with gray ash. Set the grill for medium, steady heat, with a cooler side for moving the spit if the fat flares. You want a patient fire, not flames licking the meat.
- 5
Thread the Spit
Take the lamb out of the refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking. Thread the pieces tightly onto a long metal skewer or rotisserie spit, alternating now and then with onion and green pepper. Press the meat together so the chunks protect each other, but don't crush them into a solid log.
- 6
Turn Over Coals
Set the spit over the coals and turn steadily, either by rotisserie motor or by hand. Cook for 70-90 minutes, brushing twice with marinade during the first half only. The edges should be deeply browned and charred in places, with the fat glossy and the meat firm but still yielding when pressed.
- 7
Rest and Cut
Move the kontosouvli to a board and rest it for 10 minutes. Slide the meat off the spit, cut the largest pieces into thick slices, and squeeze lemon over everything. Scatter with parsley if you like, then serve hot with bread, potatoes, tzatziki, or a sharp cabbage salad.
Chef Tips
- •Use lamb shoulder, not lean leg, if you want forgiveness. The shoulder has enough fat and connective tissue to stay juicy over coals. Λίγα και καλά: a few good things, and let them taste like themselves.
- •If the weather ruins the grill, cook it under a hot oven grill on a rack set over a tray, turning often. It won't be the same as charcoal, and I won't pretend it is, but it will still give you a good table.
- •Salt the marinade properly. For 1.8kg meat, 18g salt seasons the inside without making the surface harsh. Your grandmother cooked by eye because she'd made it a thousand times. Here are the numbers until you have.
- •Serve kontosouvli as it is cut, not after it sits around politely. Bread, lemon, potatoes, tzatziki, and a bitter salad are enough. This is outdoor food, not a plated performance.
Advance Preparation
- •Cut and marinate the lamb 8-24 hours ahead; overnight gives the cleanest flavor.
- •Cut the onions and peppers up to 6 hours ahead and keep them chilled.
- •Light the charcoal 35-45 minutes before cooking so the fire is steady when the meat goes on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 300g)
Calories
735 calories
Total Fat
54 g
Saturated Fat
20 g
Trans Fat
1 g
Unsaturated Fat
33 g
Cholesterol
185 mg
Sodium
1330 mg
Total Carbohydrates
12 g
Dietary Fiber
3 g
Sugars
4 g
Protein
50 g
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