Mechoui

Name: Mechoui
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 240 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Moroccan Maghreb
Ingredients: 1 whole (bone-in lamb shoulder)s of Bone-in Lamb Shoulder, 2.5–3 kg; 60g Smen, fermented butter; or unsalted butter, softened; 2 tsp Ground Cumin; 2 1/2 tsp Coarse Salt; 120ml Water, for the roasting pan; 1 tsp Ground Cumin; 1 tsp Coarse Salt

Mechoui is a rustic North African roast lamb with a deeply savory crust and meltingly tender meat — simple, aromatic, and perfect for a celebratory table. This slow-roasted shoulder is rubbed with fermented butter and warm cumin, then cooked low and slow until it falls from the bone, finished with a blast of heat to crisp the exterior.

Mechoui is a rustic North African roast lamb with a deeply savory crust and meltingly tender meat — simple, aromatic, and perfect ... Show more

Traditional Moroccan Maghreb Recipe

Health Grade

C+ · Balanced

Time

4 hrs

Price

1,79 €

Calories

626 kcal

gluten free

high protein

low carb

keto

Method

Heat the oven

Set the oven to 325° F and let it fully preheat while you get the lamb ready.

Prep the shoulder

Pat Bone-in Lamb Shoulder dry with paper towels, then score the fat in a shallow crosshatch. Keep the cuts shallow—don't slice deep into the meat—so the lamb stays juicy.

Mix the rub

In a small bowl, mash Smen with Ground Cumin and Coarse Salt until you have a soft, spreadable paste.

Season the lamb

Rub the paste all over the lamb, working it into the score marks and onto the underside too. Set it in a roasting pan, fat side up, then pour in the Water around the lamb, not over the top.

Roast the lamb

Roast for 3 hours at 325° F, basting with the pan juices once or twice, until the shoulder is deeply browned and very tender. Raise the oven to 425° F and roast for 15 minutes more to crisp and darken the outside.

Rest the meat

Transfer the lamb to a board and let it rest for 20 minutes before carving so the juices settle back into the meat.

Serve hot

Carve or pull the lamb into generous pieces, spoon over any pan juices, and serve with the remaining cumin and coarse salt on the side for sprinkling.