Slow Cooked Lamb Tagine (Printable Version)
Tender lamb melds with sweet prunes and spices for a rich, slow-cooked Moroccan dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meat
01 - 2.6 pounds lamb shoulder, cut into large cubes
→ Marinade & Spices
02 - 2 teaspoons ground cumin
03 - 2 teaspoons ground coriander
04 - 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
05 - 1 teaspoon ground ginger
06 - 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
07 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
08 - 1 teaspoon salt
→ Aromatics
09 - 2 large onions, finely chopped
10 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
11 - 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, grated
→ Liquids
12 - 1 ⅔ cups beef or lamb stock
13 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
14 - 2 tablespoons runny honey
15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
→ Dried Fruit & Garnish
16 - 9 ounces pitted prunes
17 - 1.7 ounces blanched almonds, toasted
18 - 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
19 - Fresh coriander leaves, for garnish
# Method:
01 - In a large bowl, combine lamb cubes with cumin, coriander, cinnamon, ground ginger, turmeric, black pepper, and salt. Toss to coat evenly and marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large heavy-based pot or tagine over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb in batches, transferring to a plate after each batch is done.
03 - In the same pot, sauté onions for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and golden. Add garlic and fresh ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Return the browned lamb to the pot. Stir in tomato paste and honey, mixing thoroughly.
05 - Pour in beef or lamb stock, scraping the bottom of the pot to release browned bits. Bring to a gentle simmer.
06 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
07 - Add pitted prunes and cook uncovered for another 45 to 60 minutes until lamb is very tender and the sauce thickens.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot, garnished with toasted almonds, sesame seeds, and fresh coriander leaves.
# Chef's Tips:
01 -
- The meat becomes so tender it melts on your tongue without any effort, and the kitchen fills with a fragrance that stops people mid-conversation.
- Sweet prunes balance the earthy spices in a way that feels unexpectedly sophisticated, yet the whole thing comes together with just basic technique.
- It's naturally gluten-free and feeds a crowd with the kind of warmth that makes people linger at the table.
02 -
- Don't skip the marinating step or rush the browning—these two phases build the foundation that makes everything else work.
- If your sauce is still too thin after cooking the prunes, uncover the pot and let it simmer for another 15-20 minutes; the liquid should coat the back of a spoon.
- Taste the dish 10 minutes before you think it's done—sometimes you need less cinnamon or more salt than the recipe suggests, depending on your palate and the stock you used.
03 -
- If you're nervous about the spices, make this once exactly as written and taste it—you'll understand the balance, and then you can adjust with confidence next time.
- Toasting your own sesame seeds and almonds right before serving makes an enormous difference; it takes five minutes and transforms a good dish into one people talk about afterward.