Mechoui

Whole lamb roasted slowly over embers until the skin crackles.

Ingredients

• 2 kg Lamb shoulder
• 150 g Butter
• 2 tbsp Cumin
• 1 tbsp Paprika
• 8 cloves Garlic
• 1 tbsp Coriander seeds
• 3 tbsp Salt
• 1 tbsp Black pepper

Method

1. Make the butter paste — Blend the softened butter with garlic, cumin, paprika, coriander, salt and pepper.
2. Coat — Rub the paste deep into every surface of the lamb, including under the skin.
3. Rest — Leave 2 hours at room temperature.
4. Roast slowly — Cook at 150°C for 4 hours, basting hourly with the melted fat.
5. Crisp — Raise to 220°C for 20 minutes to blister the skin.
6. Mechoui is ready — Pull the meat apart by hand and serve with cumin and salt for dipping.

More Mauritania recipes

• Zrig
• Thieboudienne Mauritanien
• Mauritanian Mechoui