About This Dish
A whole lamb roasted in a pit oven until the meat is so tender it can be pulled apart by hand — this is the king of Moroccan celebration dishes. Mechoui is prepared for weddings, religious festivals, and large family gatherings. The lamb is rubbed with butter, cumin, and salt, then sealed in a beehive-shaped clay oven (tandir) buried in the ground, where it roasts for hours over charcoal. The result is incredibly juicy, aromatic meat with crispy skin. Guests tear off pieces with their hands and dip them in bowls of ground cumin and salt.
Ingredients
- 1 whole or 3 kg leg Whole lamb (or lamb leg for home version)
- 200 g Butter, softened
- 3 tbsp Ground cumin
- 3 tbsp Salt
- 8 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Paprika
Instructions
- 1
Mix butter with cumin, salt, garlic, and paprika into a paste.
- 2
Score the meat deeply and rub the paste into all cuts and over the surface.
- 3
For oven version: place in a roasting pan. Cover tightly with foil.
- 4
Roast at 150C (300F) for 4 hours, basting occasionally.
- 5
Remove foil for the last 30 minutes for crispy skin.
- 6
The meat should be so tender it pulls apart by hand.
- 7
Serve with bowls of ground cumin and salt for dipping.
Tips & Tricks
- Low, slow cooking is essential — high heat makes the meat tough.
- Baste frequently for moist meat.
- The cumin-salt dip is the only condiment needed.