Tanjia Marrakchia (Marrakech Slow-Cooked Meat)
A signature dish of Marrakech, traditionally slow-cooked in a clay urn nestled in the warm ashes of a local hammam. It features meltingly tender chunks of beef or lamb flavored with preserved lemon, cumin, garlic, saffron, and smen.
Recipe byChef AminaIngredients
Scaled from 4 base servings — local only.
- 1 kgbeef shin or lamb shoulder (cut into large chunks)
- 6 wholegarlic cloves (crushed)
- 1 wholepreserved lemon (flesh and rind, chopped)
- 1.5 tbspground cumin
- 1 tbspsmen (Moroccan aged butter, or substitute regular butter)
- 1 large pinchsaffron threads
- 3 tbspextra virgin olive oil
- 0.5 cupwater
Instructions
Place the chunks of meat into a traditional clay tanjia urn, a Dutch oven, or a heavy-bottomed pot.
Add the crushed garlic, finely chopped preserved lemon flesh and rind, ground cumin, smen (or regular butter), saffron threads, olive oil, and water. Stir slightly to distribute the spices.
If using a traditional tanjia, cover the top with a layer of parchment paper followed by aluminum foil, and tie it tightly with kitchen twine or wire. Pierce a few small holes in the top.
If using a Dutch oven, simply cover tightly with a heavy lid.
Bake in a slow oven at 275°F (135°C) for 4 to 5 hours, or cook over very low heat on the stovetop, until the meat is meltingly tender and falls off the bone.
Check the liquid level during the last hour; the sauce should be thick, sticky, and highly reduced. If too watery, simmer uncovered for a few minutes.
Serve hot directly from the pot or poured onto a communal platter, accompanied by plenty of crusty Moroccan bread.