Greek Slow-Smoked Lamb Shoulder with Tzatziki Pita

Ingredients

• 1.8kg bone-in lamb shoulder
• 3 tbsp dried oregano (Greek if you can find it)
• 2 tbsp flaky sea salt
• 1 tbsp coarse black pepper
• zest of 2 lemons
• 3 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 200ml dry white wine (for the spritz)
• 100ml lemon juice (for the spritz)
• oak or apple wood chunks for smoking
• 1 large cucumber
• 400g full-fat Greek yoghurt
• 2 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• small handful fresh mint, finely chopped
• small handful fresh dill, finely chopped
• flaky salt and black pepper
• 400g ripe tomatoes (mix of colours if possible)
• 1 cucumber
• 1 small red onion
• 100g Kalamata olives, pitted
• 100g feta, in chunks
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Method

1. The night before, pat the lamb shoulder completely dry with kitchen paper — surface moisture is the enemy of bark, and a dry surface is what lets the rub stick and the smoke cling. Score the fat cap in a 2cm crosshatch, cutting into the fat but not the meat below.
2. Mix the oregano, salt, pepper, lemon zest, smoked paprika and garlic-infused oil into a thick paste. Massage it into every surface of the lamb, pushing it into the score lines. Sit the shoulder on a rack over a tray, uncovered, in the fridge overnight — this dries the surface further and lets the salt penetrate, which is what gives you a deep crust 8 hours later.
3. An hour before cooking, take the lamb out so it loses the fridge chill — going straight from cold to smoker stalls the cook badly.
4. Set up your smoker or kettle BBQ for indirect heat at 110-120°C. Add 2-3 chunks of oak or apple — Greek lamb wants gentle smoke, not a heavy hickory hit that would fight the oregano. Place a foil tray of water under the grate to keep the chamber humid.
5. Place the lamb fat-side up on the cool side of the grill. Close the lid and walk away for 3 hours. Resist opening it — every peek costs you 15 minutes of cook time.
6. Mix the white wine and lemon juice in a spray bottle. After 3 hours, start spritzing every 45 minutes. The bark should be dark mahogany and tacky to the touch, not wet. If it's looking pale, your fire's running too cool.
7. Around the 5-6 hour mark the internal temperature will stall somewhere between 70-75°C — this is the collagen breaking down and is exactly what you want. Don't panic and don't crank the heat. Wrap the shoulder loosely in butcher paper or a double layer of foil with a splash of the spritz liquid, and return it to the smoker.
8. Cook until a probe slides into the thickest part with no resistance — this will be around 95°C internal, usually 7.5-8 hours total. Temperature is a guide; the probe-feel is the real tell. If it's still gripping, give it another 30 minutes.
9. Rest the wrapped shoulder in a cool oven or insulated cooler for at least 45 minutes — an hour is better. Skipping the rest means the juices run out the moment you pull it, and you'll have dry meat with a wet board.
10. While the lamb rests, make the tzatziki: grate the cucumber on the coarse side of a box grater, then squeeze it hard in a clean tea towel until barely any liquid comes out — wet cucumber means watery tzatziki that slides off the pita. Stir the squeezed cucumber into the yoghurt with the garlic oil, vinegar, mint, dill, salt and pepper. Chill until needed.
11. For the salad, cut the tomatoes into rough wedges, the cucumber into half-moons, and slice the red onion as thinly as you can manage. Toss with the olives, feta, oregano, oil and vinegar. Don't dress until the last minute or the salt pulls water from the tomatoes and you get a soggy bowl.
12. Unwrap the lamb over a tray to catch the juices. Pull the meat apart with two forks or your hands (gloved) — it should fall into long, glossy strands with almost no effort. Discard the big lumps of fat, then pour the resting juices back over the pulled meat and toss.
13. Warm the pitas directly over the dying coals for 20 seconds a side until they puff and char in spots. Build at the table: pita, tzatziki, pulled lamb, salad spooned on top, extra lemon squeezed over.