The Moroccan tagine is one of the great slow-cooked dishes of the world — meat braised in a conical clay pot with spices, dried fruit, and aromatics until the collagen in the meat breaks down into a thick, silky sauce that coats every bite. Ras el hanout — the spice blend whose name means 'top of the shop' — contains up to 30 spices depending on the maker.
Traditional Moroccan tagines use smen (aged preserved butter) or ras el hanout-infused olive oil. This version uses grass-fed butter, which produces similar richness without the fermented note of smen. The apricots and honey balance the savoury lamb and warm spices in the way that Moroccan cuisine has always done best — sweet and savoury, never cloying.
Moroccan Lamb Tagine Recipe
Ingredients
- 1kg (2.2 lb) lamb shoulder, cut into 4cm cubes
- 2 tbsp grass-fed butter
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp ras el hanout spice blend
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 400ml (1⅔ cups) lamb or chicken stock
- 150g (1 cup) dried apricots, halved
- 1 tbsp honey
- 100g (¾ cup) blanched almonds, lightly toasted in butter
- Fresh coriander to serve
- Steamed couscous or rice to serve
Method
- Heat the butter in a large, heavy tagine or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb in batches — leave space between pieces, cook 3-4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Remove and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion and cook for 8 minutes until golden.
- Add the garlic and all of the spices. Cook for 1 minute.
- Return the lamb. Add the stock. Bring to a simmer. Cover tightly and cook over the lowest possible heat for 60 minutes.
- Add the apricots and honey. Stir gently. Cover and cook for a further 20 minutes until the lamb is very tender and the sauce has thickened.
- In a small pan, toast the almonds in a small knob of butter until golden.
- Taste the tagine and adjust seasoning. Serve over couscous, scattered with toasted almonds and fresh coriander.
What is ras el hanout?
A Moroccan spice blend — the exact composition varies by maker but typically includes cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, pepper, and rose petals. Available at Middle Eastern grocery stores and online.
Can I use a slow cooker?
Yes. Complete steps 1-3 in a skillet, then transfer everything to a slow cooker. Cook on Low for 6-8 hours.
Is this tagine seed oil free?
Yes. Grass-fed butter is the only fat.
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