Cordero asado
Photo: Valdavia · CC BY-SA 3.0

History

Cordero asado is the Castilian shepherding tradition that came to Madrid with the 17th-century livestock trade. The milk-fed lechazo (25 days old, 4 to 6 kilos at slaughter) is the canonical roast, taken from the rebano during the spring weaning season. The lamb is rubbed with lard and salt, placed in clay roasting dishes over a layer of potatoes, then slow-roasted in wood-fired clay ovens for 90 minutes. Sobrino de Botin's 1725 oven still produces canonical cordero alongside its more famous cochinillo. Los Galayos in Plaza Mayor has roasted cordero since 1894. The order tradition: 1/4 of a lamb feeds one person, 1/2 feeds two.

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Common allergens: None typical

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 20 minTotal 2 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 1 lamb shoulder (paletilla), 2 kilos with bone
  • 150g lard (manteca de cerdo)
  • 200ml dry white wine
  • 600g floury potatoes, peeled and sliced 5mm thick
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Sea salt, generous
  • Fresh thyme, optional

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 160C.
  2. Score the lamb skin in a diamond pattern. Rub generously with the lard and salt all over.
  3. Layer the potatoes and onion in a deep clay roasting dish. Pour the white wine over the potatoes. Add the bay leaves.
  4. Place the lamb skin-up on the bed of potatoes. Roast at 160C for 90 minutes, basting every 20 minutes with the pan drippings.
  5. Turn the oven up to 220C. Roast another 15 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden all over.
  6. Rest the lamb 10 minutes. Carve into thick slabs; serve over the wood-oven potatoes with the pan drippings spooned over.

Tip from the editors. The slow-roast (160C) for 90 minutes is essential to render the fat without drying the meat. A heavy clay roasting dish (cazuela de barro) produces the Castilian wood-oven effect at home.

Where to eat cordero asado

Cordero asado in Madrid

Sobrino de Botin ★ 4.6

€€€ Castilian AsadorCentro

Sobrino de Botin near Plaza Mayor in Madrid is the Guinness-certified oldest restaurant in the world, in business since 1725. Located in Centro.

OrderThe cochinillo asado roasted in the 1725 wood oven, then sopa de ajo with poached egg.

TipBook the cave dining room downstairs three weeks ahead. Lunch is calmer than dinner; the 14:00 service is the working-day local hour.

Directions Book

Los Galayos ★ 4.1

€€ Madrileno TabernaCentro

Los Galayos in Plaza Mayor in Madrid has cooked the Castilian roast lamb and the migas pastoriles since 1894, with a terrace under the arcades and wood-fired.

OrderThe cordero asado from the wood oven (1/4 lamb portion) and the migas pastoriles with grapes.

TipBook the inside dining room for cordero; the terrace is fine for tapas but the lamb needs the wood oven downstairs.

Directions

Posada de la Villa ★ 4.4

€€€ Castilian AsadorLa Latina

Posada de la Villa on Cava Baja in Madrid's La Latina has roasted Castilian cordero in a wood-fired oven since 1642, with the cocido madrileno and callos.

OrderThe cordero asado roasted in the wood oven and the cocido madrileno (three vuelcos).

TipBook a week ahead for weekend lunch. Cordero orders must be placed when reserving; the lamb is roasted to order.

Directions Book

Casa Paco ★ 4.2

€€ Castilian AsadorLa Latina

Casa Paco off Plaza Puerta Cerrada in Madrid's La Latina is the 1933 asador that pioneered the cast-iron skillet chuleton service: meat is sealed.

OrderThe chuleton de ternera for two (450g per person, 28 euros per head) and the callos in winter.

TipWalk-in only at lunch; reservation taken for dinner. The downstairs dining room is the wood-panelled original.

Directions

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