Tanjia

Tanjia Marrakchia (Moroccan Clay-Jar Beef)

A Marrakech specialty traditionally slow-cooked for hours in the embers of a hammam furnace or bakery oven, this is a home-kitchen version that keeps the same spice profile and long, gentle braise. The meat should be tender enough to pull apart with a spoon.

Prep

25 min

Cook

360 min

Total

385 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •1.2 kg (2 lb 10 oz) beef shank, cut into large chunks, bone-in if possible; chuck or shin also work
• •8 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
• •2 tsp ground cumin
• •1 pinch saffron threads, about 0.25 g, crumbled
• •1 whole preserved lemon, rind only, rinsed and cut into strips; pulp discarded
• •80 ml (⅓ cup) olive oil
• •1 tsp salt, or to taste
• •0.5 tsp (½ tsp) black pepper, freshly ground
• •120 ml (½ cup) water

Steps

1. 1 Pat the beef shank chunks dry and place them in a large bowl. Add the garlic, cumin, saffron, salt, black pepper, olive oil and preserved lemon rind. Toss until every piece is coated. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight (bring back to room temperature before cooking).
2. 2 Preheat the oven to 140°C (285°F).
3. 3 Pack the beef and all the marinade into a tall clay jar (a tanjia), a heavy Dutch oven, or a deep ovenproof pot with a tight-fitting lid. Pour in the water.
4. 4 Seal the mouth of the jar with foil, then cover with the lid (or seal the Dutch oven lid tightly). If using a clay tanjia, you can plug the opening with a wad of foil to mimic the traditional paper-and-flour seal.
5. 5 Place the pot in the oven and cook for 5½–6 hours. The beef is done when it is completely tender and shreds easily when pressed with a spoon; internal temperature should read at least 95°C (205°F) at the thickest point.
6. 6 Carefully open the jar (steam will escape). Skim excess fat from the surface if desired, and taste for salt.
7. 7 Tip the meat and its juices onto a warm platter, or serve straight from the jar, with Moroccan bread (khobz) and mint tea.