Khorkhog

Khorkhog (Mongolian Mutton Cooked with Hot Stones)

A classic Mongolian outdoor dish in which mutton, root vegetables and water are layered in a sealed metal container and cooked by white-hot river stones dropped in among the layers. Traditionally made in a milk churn over an open fire, it produces tender, smoky, deeply savoury meat.

Prep

45 min

Cook

60 min

Total

105 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Hard

Recipe ingredients

• •1.5 kg (3 lb 5 oz) bone-in mutton shoulder or leg, cut into 5 cm (2 in) chunks, bone-in for flavour; lamb can substitute
• •6 whole potatoes, peeled and halved, waxy or all-purpose
• •4 whole carrots, peeled and cut into thick batons
• •3 whole onions, peeled and quartered
• •10 g (2 tsp) coarse salt, plus more to taste
• •500 ml (2 cups) water, hot
• •12 whole clean river stones, fist-sized, dense, dry, uncracked - no porous or layered rock, which can explode
• •1 tbsp black pepper, coarsely ground, optional, for serving

Steps

1. 1 Build a good wood or charcoal fire and let it burn down to glowing embers. Nestle the clean, dry river stones directly in the hottest part of the fire.
2. 2 While the stones heat (30–45 minutes, until they are glowing red-hot and ash-covered), prepare the meat and vegetables: pat the mutton chunks dry and season generously with salt.
3. 3 Layer half the mutton in the base of a heavy metal milk churn or a tight-sealing stockpot with a clamp lid. Top with half the potatoes, carrots and onions.
4. 4 Add the remaining mutton, then the remaining vegetables. Pour in the hot water - it should come about one-third to halfway up the contents; do not overfill.
5. 5 Using long tongs or a shovel, retrieve the red-hot stones from the fire one at a time. Knock off loose ash, then drop them straight into the churn among the meat and vegetables, taking care not to splash.
6. 6 Seal the lid immediately and clamp it shut. If using a stockpot, lock the lid and weigh it down. The container will pressurise - keep it well away from anyone's face.
7. 7 Cook over a low, steady fire (or set the sealed container on the edge of the embers), shaking or turning the whole churn every 10 minutes so the stones do not scorch one spot. Cook for 45–60 minutes.
8. 8 Doneness cues: the mutton should be tender and pull cleanly from the bone; potatoes should be soft when pierced with a knife. Internal temperature of the thickest mutton piece should reach at least 85°C (185°F) for fall-apart texture, and no less than 75°C (167°F) for food safety.
9. 9 Remove the container from the fire and let it rest, still sealed, for 10 minutes. Vent the lid carefully away from you - a burst of steam will escape.
10. 10 Open the lid, fish out the stones with tongs, and set them in a metal bowl. Drain the contents into a large serving platter, or lift the meat and vegetables out with a slotted spoon.
11. 11 Serve the mutton and vegetables immediately, seasoned with a little more salt and black pepper. Pass the warm stones hand to hand around the table - the traditional playful custom - but warn guests to toss them quickly and never hold them, as they stay dangerously hot for a long time.