Mechoui (Moroccan Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder)
Local name: المشوي
In short: Lamb shoulder rubbed with butter, garlic and cumin, then roasted slowly under foil until it pulls apart with a spoon. Served with cumin and salt. It takes about 4 h 20 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 4 h
- Resting
- 2 h
- Total
- 4 h 20 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 480 kcal
Mechoui is the roast lamb of Moroccan celebrations. Traditionally a whole lamb is cooked for hours in a pit oven, then pulled apart by hand at the table. Eid al-Adha, weddings and village feasts are the usual occasions. At home, a shoulder rubbed with butter, garlic and spices and roasted slowly under foil gives the same silky meat. Guests dip each piece into a small bowl of salt and ground cumin as they eat.
Instructions
- Mix the butter, garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, pepper, saffron with its water and salt into a paste. Make several deep cuts in the lamb and rub the paste all over and into the cuts.
- Place the lamb in a roasting tin, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- Heat the oven to 160°C (325°F). Pour the water around the lamb and cover the tin tightly with foil.
- Roast for 3 1/2 hours, basting with the juices once after the first 2 hours. The meat should be very tender and nearly falling off the bone, at about 90°C (195°F) inside.
- Uncover, raise the oven to 220°C (425°F) and roast for 20 minutes, until the surface is browned and crisp at the edges.
- Rest the lamb for 20 minutes. Pull the meat apart with two forks or your fingers and moisten it with the pan juices. Mix the cumin and salt in a small bowl and serve alongside for dipping.
Tips
- Short on time? Cut the shoulder into large pieces and cook them with the paste and water in a pressure cooker for about 50 minutes, then brown under a hot grill for 10 minutes.
- Smen, the Moroccan preserved butter, gives the most traditional taste. If you can find it, use 2 tbsp in place of half of the butter.
Questions and answers
What is the difference between mechoui and tanjia?
Mechoui is lamb roasted in dry heat and pulled apart at the table. Tanjia is lamb sealed in a pot and cooked in its own steam with garlic and preserved lemon.
Can I use boneless lamb for mechoui?
Bone-in gives the best flavor and moisture. If you use boneless shoulder, tie it up and cut the cooking time to about 3 hours, checking that it is fork-tender.
What do you serve with mechoui?
Plain bread, a tomato and onion salad and the bowl of cumin and salt for dipping. Couscous and Moroccan cooked salads such as zaalouk also go well.
How long does it take to make Mechoui (Moroccan Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder)?
About 4 h 20 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 4 h of cooking.
How many calories are in Mechoui (Moroccan Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder)?
About 480 kcal per serving, with 34 g of protein, 3 g of carbohydrates and 37 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 480 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 34 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3 g |
| Fat | 37 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 0 g |
| Sodium | 1500 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
