Ina Garten Moroccan Lamb Tagine

Ina Garten Moroccan lamb tagine is a slow-braised dinner made with lamb shanks, butternut squash and warm spices, ready in 3 hours 40 minutes. Try this make-ahead dinner party main for a cozy Sunday supper or holiday table, since it all bakes in one Dutch oven and needs very little attention.

Brown the lamb shanks well in batches, 3 minutes on each side, before anything else goes in the pot. Crowd them or skip the browning and the sauce loses the deep, roasted flavor that carries the whole dish.

Ina Garten based this tagine on a recipe from Bill Granger's Australian cookbook, Bill's Sydney Food. She then built it as a make-ahead dinner in Make It Ahead (2014). Slices of lime and a spoonful of brown sugar join the chili powder, turmeric and cinnamon, so the sauce tastes complex even though every ingredient comes from a regular grocery store.

Source: Make It Ahead (2014)

Ina Garten Moroccan Lamb Tagine

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DinnerCuisine: American, MoroccanDifficulty: Medium

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

3

hours 

10

minutes

Calories

620

kcal

Lamb shanks braise in a spiced tomato sauce with potatoes, butternut squash and sweet potatoes until the meat is falling off the bone. Baking low and slow in a covered pot keeps the sauce rich and the vegetables soft but intact.

Ingredients

• Good olive oil
  

• 6 small frenched lamb shanks (5 to 6 pounds total) (see note)
  

• 3 cups chopped yellow onions (2 large onions)
  

• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  

• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  

• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
  

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  

• 1 (4-inch) cinnamon stick
  

• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, such as San Marzano (see note)
  

• 2 cups good chicken stock, preferably homemade
  

• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, lightly packed
  

• 4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices of lime
  

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

• 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled and 1-inch-diced
  

• 1 pound butternut squash, peeled and 1-inch-diced
  

• 1/2 pound sweet potatoes, unpeeled and 1-inch-diced
  

• Steamed Couscous (recipe follows), for serving
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 300°F. That way it is ready when the pot is loaded.
• Brown the lamb: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a very large 12- to 13-inch pot or Dutch oven, then pat the 6 lamb shanks dry with paper towels. Cook them in batches over medium heat for 3 minutes on each side until browned, adding a little more oil if needed, and set them on a plate.
• Cook the onions: Add 3 cups chopped yellow onions to the same pot and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring now and then. Then add 3 sliced garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon grated ginger for just 30 seconds.
• Toast the spices: Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric, 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin, 1/2 teaspoon cardamom and the cinnamon stick. Cook for 1 minute so the spices bloom in the oil.
• Build the sauce: Stir in the 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes with their liquid, 2 cups chicken stock, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 4 lime slices, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Then add the potatoes, butternut squash and sweet potatoes and bring everything to a boil.
• Add the lamb: Nestle the browned shanks into the pot and spoon some of the sauce and vegetables over them. They will not be completely submerged, which is fine.
• Braise and serve: Cover the pot and bake for 3 hours, until the lamb is very tender. Serve hot over steamed couscous.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, John Boos maple cutting board, 18 x 12, OXO 12-inch locking tongs, Cento certified San Marzano tomatoes, 3 cans. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make this lamb tagine ahead of time?

Yes, this one is built for it. Assemble the whole pot, refrigerate it, and bake it just before serving.

What can I use if I can't find diced San Marzano tomatoes?

Pour a can of whole peeled tomatoes with their liquid into a food processor and pulse until chopped. That gives you the same texture for the sauce.

What size lamb shanks should I buy?

Ask your butcher for small shanks, which come from the front legs. The large rear shanks are bigger and won't fit as well in the pot.

Can I use a different pot if I don't have a Dutch oven?

Any heavy, ovenproof pot with a tight lid works, as long as it holds 6 shanks and the vegetables. A 12- to 13-inch pot is the size you want.

What is the most common mistake with this tagine?

Skipping or rushing the browning is the big one, because that sear builds the flavor of the sauce. Brown the shanks in batches so they color instead of steaming.