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1
The night before: combine the yogurt, crushed garlic, olive oil, dried thyme and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Rub the marinade thoroughly over the entire surface of the lamb, working it into any natural seams. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The marinade is ready when it has penetrated visibly into the surface of the meat, carrying the spice compounds into the fat layer.
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2
Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and allow it to approach room temperature. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Place the lamb in a deep covered casserole or a roasting tray. If using a roasting tray, seal it completely with two tight layers of aluminium foil, pressing firmly around all edges so no steam can escape. This sealed environment replicates the closed clay oven: the lamb must cook entirely in the steam generated by its own moisture.
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3
Cook at 160°C for 4–5 hours without opening the vessel. The dish lives or dies on this seal — any breach dissipates the self-basting steam that prevents moisture loss and drives complete collagen conversion. The lamb is done when a skewer meets no resistance anywhere near the bone and the exposed bone has visibly loosened from the meat.
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4
Remove the lamb from the oven. Open the seal carefully, away from the face — the accumulated steam is forceful. Pour the collagen-rich cooking liquid into a small saucepan and reserve it. Rest the lamb uncovered for a minimum of 20–30 minutes; the internal temperature will equalise and the meat will hold its juices. The surface will be pale and yielding rather than caramelised — this is correct.
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5
Warm the reserved cooking liquid gently and pour it back over the lamb at the table or just before serving. The lamb should fall cleanly from the bone at the lightest pressure; if any resistance remains, the collagen conversion is incomplete.