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Mastelo (Baked Lamp)
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ALEXANDRA'S KITCHEN

Mastelo (Baked Lamp)

A slow-cooked lamb recipe, traditionally baked in a clay pot with dill and wine.

By Alexandras Home

 |  

@home.alexandras

April 16, 2026

By Alexandras Home

Ingredients

  • 5

    lb (2.5 kg) lamb (chops & rib pieces)

  • 1, 1/4

    cups (280 ml) Gratsi Red Wine

  • 1

     large bunch fresh dill, finely chopped

  • Salt & pepper, to taste

  • Vine branches

  • Substitute for vine branches (for abroad):
    Use a rack, or bundle a few branches together or thick rosemary branches or thyme branches to create a base so the meat doesn’t touch the liquid.

Instructions

SHOP GRATSI RED

TOTAL TIME

4 hours

6-8 servings

SHOP GRATSI RED

I recently visited Sifnos, an island known all over Greece for its deep connection to gastronomy. Every September, the island hosts the Nikolaos Tselementes Gastronomy Festival, where local producers, cooks, and visitors come together to celebrate traditional recipes, ingredients, and flavors.

Sifnos is also the birthplace of Nikolaos Tselementes, one of the most famous Greek chefs, who shaped modern Greek cuisine and brought refinement and technique into traditional cooking. He also published his iconic cookbook, the first complete Greek cooking guide and his name today is synonymous with cookbooks in Greece.

Today, I’m making one of the island’s most beloved dishes, Mastelo. A slow-cooked lamb recipe, traditionally baked in a clay pot with dill and local wine. It’s simple, rustic, and full of aroma. A dish that truly reflects the soul of Sifnos and the generosity of the locals who shared it with me.

A large brown ceramic pot filled with raw, seasoned meat pieces and herbs sits on a wooden surface in a kitchen with white cabinets in the background. A plate with two pieces of roasted meat and several golden potato wedges, garnished with fresh dill on a light-colored ceramic plate.

STEP 1

Marinate
Place the lamb in a large bowl.
Pour over the Gratsi Red Wine.

A round plate filled with large, raw beef short rib pieces on a wooden surface. In the background, two black bottles labeled GRATSI are partially visible. A bowl filled with several raw beef short ribs soaking in a red marinade or liquid, placed on a wooden surface. A can of beer is partially visible in the top left corner.

STEP 2

Cover, and refrigerate overnight.

A metal bowl filled with raw beef short ribs covered in plastic wrap sits on a wooden cutting board.

STEP 3

Prepare the dish

The next day, transfer everything into your baking vessel. I use a traditional Sifnian clay pot, but you can also use a Dutch oven, ceramic casserole, or any oven-safe dish — as long as you follow the technique.

STEP 4

Layering

Place the vine branches (or substitute) at the bottom.
Pour in the marinade wine.
Season the lamb well with salt and pepper.
Layer the meat on top of the branches.
Add dill between each layer (meat → dill → meat → dill).
The secret: the meat should not touch the liquid. It cooks slowly with the steam.

A close-up view of a terracotta pot containing a pile of small, dry, brown sticks and twigs arranged loosely at the bottom. A person with red-painted nails pours pieces of raw meat from a plate into a brown clay pot. The pot is placed on a wooden surface, and a small jar is visible nearby. A clay pot filled with raw meat pieces topped with fresh dill sits on a wooden surface. A glass with dark liquid is partially visible in the background.

STEP 5

Seal the pot

Cover with a lid, or tightly seal with parchment paper and foil.
Traditionally, I seal it with dough:
Mix 2 cups flour + ¾ cup water.
Shape into a rope and press around the lid to trap the steam inside.

A white bowl filled with flour sits on a wooden surface, with a container of salt partially visible in the background. A round ball of dough sits in a white mixing bowl on a wooden surface, with a container of salt partially visible in the upper left corner. A woman with curly hair and a white top places the lid on a brown ceramic pot in a modern kitchen, with jars and utensils in the background.

STEP 6

Bake

Bake at 200°C (390°F) for 30 minutes
Then reduce to 150°C (300°F) and cook for about 4 hours.
Slow, gentle cooking will give you incredibly tender, aromatic lamb-just like in Sifnos.

A brown clay pot with white patterns sits on a wooden board, topped with unbaked bread dough. Next to it is a glass of red wine labeled GRATSI. Kitchen utensils and cabinets are visible in the background. A woman stands in a modern kitchen holding a brown ceramic pot. She wears a white top, striped apron, and long skirt. The kitchen has white cabinets, open shelves with jars, dishes, and plants. A close-up of cooked meat, seasoned with herbs, inside a large brown clay pot. The meat appears tender and browned, with visible bones and herbs scattered on top.

STEP 7

Serve with fried potatoes or rice! Enjoy!

A brown ceramic pot with a crack in the bread dough sealing its lid sits on a wooden board. Next to it is a glass of dark red liquid with GRATS printed on the side. A kitchen counter is in the background. A plate with two pieces of roasted meat, golden potato wedges garnished with dill, and a glass of red wine next to a rustic clay pot and lid on a wooden board.

The market

Someone pours Gratsi Red Wine from a sleek black box into a clear glass, both showing the Gratsi logo, set against a white background.
Red Wine

$39

A person pours Gratsi White Wine, a zero sugar, low-sulfite boxed wine, from a large Gratsi box into a clear Gratsi-branded glass on a wooden block.
White Wine

$39

A hand holds a Gratsi Rosé Wine box with black text and a red spout against a white background, suggesting a refreshing, zero sugar experience.
Rosé Wine

$39