Mechoui

مشوي

“A whole lamb, a whole celebration.”

Prep 30 min · Cook 5h · Serves 10–15 · Difficulty Hard · Origin: Berber tradition, across Morocco

Mechoui is the centrepiece of Moroccan celebrations — weddings, Eid, royal feasts. A whole lamb is rubbed inside and out with a paste of butter, cumin, and salt, then slow-roasted in an earthen pit (a mechoui) for 4 to 6 hours. The skin crisps to a mahogany crackle while the meat inside steams into unbelievable tenderness. In Marrakech's Djemaa el-Fna, mechoui stalls serve it by the kilo, eaten with fingers, dipped in cumin and coarse salt.

Ingredients · Serves 10–15

• lamb (5–7 kg), cleaned1 whole
• salted butter, softened200 g
• ground cumin3 tbsp
• ground coriander2 tsp
• ground black pepper1 tsp
• sweet paprika1 tsp
• coarse salt2 tsp
• garlic, cloves minced1 head
• cumin and coarse salt, mixedto serve

The Recipe

1. 1.Mix softened butter with cumin, coriander, black pepper, paprika, salt, and garlic into a smooth paste.
2. 2.Rub the paste generously all over the lamb — under the skin, inside the cavity, and over every surface.
3. 3.Truss the legs and secure the lamb on a spit or in a pit oven. Traditionally, a pit is dug, charcoal lit, and the lamb suspended above it.
4. 4.Roast low and slow for 4–6 hours, basting with more butter every 45 minutes, until the skin is deep mahogany and crackling, and the legs pull away effortlessly.
5. 5.Rest for 15 minutes before serving. Pull the meat apart by hand — no knives needed.
6. 6.Serve with cumin-salt dip, khobz bread, and fresh salad.

Chef's Tips

• The secret is temperature: not too hot, not too cool. The lamb must sweat, not char.
• Basting every 45 minutes keeps the skin from drying and builds layers of flavour.
• For a home oven version, roast at 150°C covered for 4 hours, then uncover and blast at 220°C for 20 minutes to crisp the skin.