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Gowurma
Gowurma: Turkmen lamb slow-fried and kept in its own fat
Gowurma is how Turkmen herders kept meat through the winter: lamb or mutton cut into pieces, salted and cooked slowly in its own rendered fat until tender and golden, then packed into clay pots under a layer of fat. Spoonfuls are reheated through the winter to fry with eggs, stir into rice or eat with bread and tea. Today it is kept in the fridge. A common mistake is cooking over high heat, which fries the outside hard before the inside softens. Chef's tip: make sure every piece is fully covered by fat in the jar; that seal is what keeps it. Store in the fridge and use within 2 weeks; always reheat until piping hot.
- Total time
- 140 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the gowurma
- 3 ⅓ lb lamb shoulderboneless, cut into 4 cm pieces
- 14 oz lamb fat or suetdiced
- 2 ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 onionhalved
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Render 14 oz lamb fat or suet in a heavy pot over a low heat for 20 minutes, until the fat has melted and the pieces are crisp. Lift out the crisp bits.
20 minStep 2: Add 3 ⅓ lb lamb shoulder, 2 ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 onion and cook over a low heat, stirring now and then, for 1½ hours, until tender and golden. Common mistake: a high heat; it toughens.
90 minStep 3: Remove the onion. Pack the meat into clean, sterilised jars and pour the hot fat over to cover it completely by 1 cm.
Step 4: Cool, close and refrigerate. To use, scoop out what you need and reheat in a pan until sizzling and piping hot.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 1 g
- Fat
- 42 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gowurma take?
- About 140 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 120 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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