A Succulent Moroccan Lamb Tagine: The Ultimate Recipe Guide

Moroccan lamb tagine is a hearty, flavourful dish that will fill your kitchen with warming aromas. The recipe typically involves slow-cooking lamb with a variety of spices, dried fruits, and vegetables, resulting in a rich and tender stew. While a traditional tagine pot is ideal, it's not necessary – a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot will do the trick. Serve your lamb tagine with couscous for an authentic Moroccan experience.

Choosing the right cut of lamb

Lamb shoulder is an excellent choice for a lamb tagine. It is a tough cut of meat that becomes beautifully tender when slow-cooked. Lamb shoulder is also marbled with fat, ensuring the meat stays juicy. When using lamb shoulder, cut it into 1.5-inch cubes (3.5 cm or 2-inch cubes) before cooking. You can also buy it pre-cut as "lamb stew meat."

If you prefer a leaner option, consider using a boneless lamb leg. Keep in mind that it will not be as juicy as the lamb shoulder, but it can still work well in a tagine.

Another option is lamb shank. To use lamb shank, you will need to cut the meat off the bone, and the shape of the pieces might not be as uniform, resulting in some pieces cooking faster than others.

When purchasing lamb for your tagine, look for meat that is suitable for slow cooking. You want a cut that will become tender and juicy during the cooking process.

Additionally, try to avoid pre-cut lamb pieces, as they tend to be too small and can become overcooked before the sauce has a chance to reduce and develop its rich flavour.

When preparing the lamb, it is essential to trim any excess fat and cut the meat into uniform pieces to ensure even cooking.

Preparing the spice mix

Firstly, gather your spices. The exact spices used can vary, but commonly include: ground coriander, cumin, cardamom, turmeric, fennel powder, cayenne pepper, ground cloves, ground ginger, saffron, cinnamon, paprika, and black pepper. You can also purchase a pre-made Moroccan spice blend called Ras el Hanout, which typically includes a combination of these spices.

If you are mixing your own spices, combine them in a small bowl and mix well. You can adjust the quantities of each spice to suit your taste preferences, but a typical spice mix might include 1 tablespoon of ground coriander, 1 tablespoon of ground cumin, 2 teaspoons of ground cardamom, 2 teaspoons of turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and so on.

Once you have your spice mix ready, it's time to prepare the lamb. Cut the lamb into cubes, typically around 1-inch to 1.5-inch in size. Place the lamb cubes in a large bowl and toss them with some of the spice mix. Make sure the spices coat the meat evenly. You can also add other ingredients like salt, pepper, or olive oil to the lamb at this stage.

After the lamb has been spiced, it is typically recommended to let it sit and marinate. This can be done at room temperature for about an hour or overnight in the refrigerator. This step allows the flavours to penetrate the meat and intensify the taste.

Once the lamb has marinated, you can proceed with the next steps of the recipe, such as browning the meat, adding vegetables, and simmering the tagine until it is tender and flavourful.

Feel free to adjust the spice quantities and types to suit your taste preferences and create your own unique spice mix for a Moroccan lamb tagine.

Browning the lamb

Firstly, cut the lamb into large cubes of around 1.5 inches. This size ensures that the lamb doesn't become too tender too quickly and fall apart. Season the lamb cubes generously with salt and pepper, or a spice mix of your choice. You can use a ready-made Moroccan spice blend such as ras el hanout, or make your own by mixing spices like cardamom, cumin, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, allspice, dry ginger, chilli peppers, coriander seed, peppercorn, paprika, fenugreek, and dry turmeric.

Next, heat some oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. You can use olive oil, argan oil, or vegetable oil. Add the lamb cubes in batches, making sure not to crowd the pan, and brown them evenly on all sides. This should take around 3-7 minutes, depending on the heat and the size of your pan. Remove the browned lamb cubes from the pan and set them aside in a bowl. Repeat this process until all the lamb is browned.

If you are using a separate frying pan for browning, don't forget to deglaze the pan with some tomato juice or broth after you're done. This will help to loosen any tasty browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, adding extra flavour to your dish.

By browning the lamb in batches and not overcrowding the pan, you allow for a better sear and more flavour development. This step is crucial in creating a delicious and authentic Moroccan lamb tagine.

Cooking the aromatics

Now, it's time to sauté the aromatics. Turn the heat down to medium-high. Add the onion and garlic to the pot and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until soft. You can use fresh garlic and ginger or the type that comes in a jar or frozen—all are fine.

Next, add the tomato paste, ginger, cinnamon, and spices. Cook for 1 to 1.5 minutes, stirring constantly, to cook out the raw flavour of the tomato paste and toast the spices, bringing out their flavour.

Tips

• If you're using a slow cooker, note that you won't get the same level of caramelisation on the surface and edges of the tagine as you do in the oven or on the stove, which adds flavour to stews.
• If you're using a stove, you'll need to stir frequently to prevent the base from catching as the sauce of this tagine is thick.

Serving suggestions

Lamb tagine is a rich and flavourful dish, so it is best served with something that will complement these flavours without being too overpowering. Couscous is a popular choice for this reason, and it is also traditional. If you want to be very authentic, serve your tagine with khobz bread instead—this is a Moroccan flatbread.

If you want to add a little more flavour, you could serve your tagine with a side of cucumber raita, or a sprinkling of fresh herbs like coriander/cilantro and mint. Toasted almonds are also a great addition, adding a little crunch to the dish.

If you want to make your tagine part of a larger meal, you could serve it with flatbreads, or a Moroccan salad on the side.

Frequently asked questions