Roast Suckling Lamb (Lechazo Asado)

Name: Roast Suckling Lamb (Lechazo Asado)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 55 min
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Cuisine: Spain
Ingredients: 4 lb (1.8 kg) bone-in suckling lamb pieces (shoulder, leg and rib), or half a small suckling lamb, cut to fit your pan; 1 tbsp (18 g) coarse sea salt; 2 tbsp (30 g) lard, softened (or olive oil); 1/2 cup (120 ml) water

Lechazo asado Say it: leh-CHAH-thoh ah-SAH-doh

By the Passport Plate editors. Published November 5, 2026.

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Lechazo asado is the roast suckling lamb of Castile and León, a celebration dish built on very young milk-fed lamb. The meat is placed in a clay casserole with only salt, a little lard and water, then roasted until the skin turns golden and crisp and the flesh stays juicy enough to pull from the bone. It is traditionally eaten at family gatherings and in mesones, often with a simple green salad and potatoes, and its mild, sweet flavour is the point.

Roast Suckling Lamb (Lechazo Asado)

Lechazo asado

Pronounced leh-CHAH-thoh ah-SAH-doh

Serves: 4
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 1 hr 55 min
Total: 2 hr 15 min
Level: Medium

Also nut-free and egg-free.

Allergens: none of the major allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on packaged ingredients.

Ingredients

4 servings

For the lamb

4 lb (1.8 kg)1.8 kg (4 lb) bone-in suckling lamb pieces (shoulder, leg and rib), or half a small suckling lamb, cut to fit your pan
1 tbsp (18 g)18 g (1 tbsp) coarse sea salt
2 tbsp (30 g)30 g (2 tbsp) lard, softened (or olive oil)
1/2 cup (120 ml)120 ml (1/2 cup) water

Method

Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Pat the lamb pieces very dry with paper towels and ask the butcher to cut through the bones so the pieces fit your roasting dish in one layer.
Rub the softened lard all over the skin, then sprinkle the coarse salt evenly on all sides. Place the lamb skin side up in a clay roasting dish or heavy roasting pan just large enough to hold the pieces comfortably. Pour the water around the meat, not over it.
Roast for 1 hour 30 minutes, checking after 45 minutes; if the pan looks dry, add 2–4 tbsp water. Spoon a little of the pan juices over the lamb every 30 minutes to keep the meat moist.
Increase the oven to 425°F (220°C) and roast for 20–25 minutes more, until the skin is deep golden, blistered and crisp and a skewer slips easily into the thickest piece.
Rest the lamb in the dish for 10 minutes, then carve or pull the meat into pieces and spoon the pan juices over the top.

Regional variants

In Castile and León, restaurants often roast lechazo in a wood-fired oven; at home a clay casserole and conventional oven give a close result. Some cooks add a splash of white wine or a few garlic cloves to the pan, but the classic version keeps to lamb, salt, water and lard.

Cook's notes

A clay casserole gives the traditional gentle, even heat; if using metal, keep the first roasting stage at 300°F (150°C) and watch the pan juices.
Do not crowd the lamb; the pieces should sit in one layer so the skin can crisp properly.
If suckling lamb is unavailable, use the youngest lamb you can find and add 20–30 minutes to the first roasting stage.

Serve with

A simple green salad, boiled or roasted potatoes, and a glass of Ribera del Duero red.

Make ahead and storage

Best served straight from the oven; leftovers keep refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheat, covered, at 300°F (150°C) with a splash of water.

Roast Suckling Lamb (Lechazo Asado)