Moroccan Tanjia Slow Cooked Meat Clay Pot

Cut the lamb into large, rustic pieces (about 5-7 cm). If using bone-in, ensure bones are intact for extra flavor.

Rinse the preserved lemon, remove the pulp, and finely chop the rind. Peel and crush the garlic cloves.

In a large bowl, combine the lamb pieces with the chopped preserved lemon rind, crushed garlic, ground cumin, saffron threads, olive oil, smen, salt, and black pepper. Mix everything thoroughly, ensuring the meat is well coated.

Transfer the marinated lamb mixture to your Tanjia pot or a heavy Dutch oven. Pour in the water around the meat. The liquid should come up about a third of the way on the meat.

Seal the pot tightly. If using a traditional Tanjia, you would seal the lid with dough. For a Dutch oven, ensure the lid is very snug. You can also use aluminum foil under the lid for an extra tight seal.

Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F). Place the sealed pot in the oven and cook for a minimum of 5 hours, or up to 7-8 hours, until the lamb is fall-apart tender. Do not open the lid during cooking.

Once cooked, carefully remove the pot from the oven. Let it rest for 15-20 minutes before gently opening the lid. The meat should be extremely tender and the sauce rich and flavorful.

Serve the Tanjia directly from the pot, traditionally with crusty bread for dipping into the delicious sauce. Enjoy my friends!