Kokoretsi — Lamb Offal Wrapped in Intestines

Greek Non Fasting Published April 21, 2026

Non-Fasting Recipe: This dish contains meat, dairy, or eggs and is intended for feast days and non-fasting periods.

A Greek Paschal delicacy that polarizes — organ meats (liver, heart, lung, spleen) threaded onto a spit
and wrapped with lamb intestines, then roasted slowly over coals. The intestines baste the offal as
they crisp. The adventurous will find kokoretsi one of the greatest meats on earth.

FASTING LEVEL: Non-Fasting (lamb offal and intestines)

SERVINGS: 8
TIME: 5 hours (includes spit-roasting)

INGREDIENTS:
- 1 kg mixed lamb offal (liver, heart, lungs, kidneys, sweetbreads)
- 500 g lamb intestines, very thoroughly cleaned and soaked (rinse with salt and lemon juice)
- 3 large onions, quartered
- 6 cloves garlic
- 150 ml olive oil
- Juice of 3 lemons
- 4 tablespoons dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- Salt and black pepper, generous amounts
- A long metal spit, or large metal skewers

METHOD:
1. Rinse the intestines inside and out repeatedly until the water runs clear. Soak in cold water with lemon juice and salt for at least 2 hours. Drain, pat dry.
2. Cut offal into 3 cm chunks. Combine with onions, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper. Marinate at least 1 hour.
3. Thread the offal chunks onto the spit, alternating types for even cooking. Push pieces together tightly — the cluster should be about 8-10 cm in diameter.
4. Starting at one end, wrap the cleaned intestines around the offal cluster, overlapping each turn slightly. Work your way to the other end. Tuck the ends securely.
5. Place over a bed of glowing coals (not flame). Rotate continuously. A rotisserie attachment makes this much easier.
6. Roast for 3-4 hours over medium coals. The intestines should crisp and brown; the offal inside should cook through. Baste with the marinade every 30 minutes.
7. Remove from the spit and rest 10 minutes. Slice into rounds (you will see cross-sections of offal inside the intestine wrap).
8. Serve with lemon wedges, coarse salt, and bread.

NOTES:
- Kokoretsi is spit-roasted food. You can attempt an oven version, but the flavour is completely different without live fire.
- This is not weeknight food. It is the labour of a Paschal afternoon — the family takes turns rotating the spit while the Resurrection feast is prepared.
- Intestine cleaning is the hardest part. Buy from a butcher who has already thoroughly cleaned them if possible.
- The offal-to-intestine wrap ratio matters. Wrap tightly; there should be no gaps.

NUTRITION (per serving, approximate):
Calories: 420 | Protein: 38 g | Carbohydrates: 4 g | Fat: 28 g | Fibre: 1 g