The Arabic Food Recipes Kitchen (The home of Delicious Arabic Food) invites you to try Slow-roasted lamb (mechoui) recipe. Enjoy Christmas desserts and learn how to make Slow-roasted lamb (mechoui).
This North African dish found in Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria tends to vary in each country, but generally involves a whole lamb or sheep being spit-roasted or roasted underground for a festive occasion. Traditionally, the entire beast is consumed, including the organs, with parts such as the liver, kidney and eyes reserved for the guests of honour. While traditionally the entire animal is roasted, for convenience, we’ve used a lamb shoulder, oven-roasted with signature North African spices. You can cook this using a spit-roast, if you prefer.
Serves 6
Preparation 10 min
Cooking 8hr
Skill level Easy
By
Phoebe Wood
Ingredients
1½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tsp ground turmeric
3 garlic cloves, crushed
100 g unsalted butter, softened
2.5 kg lamb shoulder, bone in
2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted, roughly ground
1 tbsp sea salt flakes
bread and orange wedges, to serve
Cook's notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 140°C. Combine spices, garlic and butter in a bowl. Rub mixture all over lamb and season with salt. Completely enclose lamb in two large sheets of foil and place in a deep roasting pan. Roast for 8 hours or until meat is meltingly tender and comes away easily from the bone.
Combine cumin seeds and sea salt in a small bowl. Shred lamb into large pieces and serve with cumin salt, bread and orange wedges.
Photography Brett Stevens
As seen in Feast magazine, November 2014, Issue 37. For more recipes and articles, pick up a copy of this month's Feast magazine
More Arabic Food Recipes:
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Warm Moroccan lamb salad recipe
Zucchini Stuffed with Lamb Recipe
Baked Lamb Kibbeh Recipe
Shawarma Lamb with Couscous Salad
Lamb Stuffed Vine Leaves
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