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Khorkhog-style lamb
Mongolian lamb cooked with hot stones in a sealed pot, adapted for the home
Khorkhog is the feast of the Mongolian countryside, cooked when a herding family welcomes guests: a sheep is cut into pieces and sealed into a milk churn with hot river stones, onion, carrot and potato, and the churn is set over the fire until the meat is tender and smoky. Guests pass the hot, greasy stones from hand to hand for good health. This home version cooks the lamb in a heavy sealed casserole in the oven, which gives the same tender meat and rich juices; please don't heat stones in a kitchen pot, which is dangerous. The mistake is adding water: the lamb steams in its own juice with only a little liquid. Chef's tip: use lamb on the bone, such as neck or shoulder, for the deepest flavour.
- Total time
- 140 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F. Season 4 lb lamb neck or shoulder with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper.
Step 2: Put the lamb in a heavy casserole with 2 onions and 6 garlic cloves. Add ¾ cup water, cover tightly (foil under the lid) and cook for 1 hour 15 minutes.
75 minStep 3: Add 3 carrots, 4 potatoes and ¼ small cabbage, tucking them into the juices. Cover and cook for 45 minutes more, until the lamb falls from the bone and the vegetables are tender.
45 minStep 4: Lamb cooked this long is well done, above 160°F. Serve the meat, vegetables and juices together, with the broth drunk from cups as in Mongolia.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 610 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 38 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does khorkhog-style lamb take?
- About 140 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 120 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 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.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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