Tanjia (Marrakech Slow Cooked Spiced Beef)
Beef shin slow cooked with garlic, cumin, saffron and preserved lemon until it falls apart. Marrakech's famous pot, made in an ordinary oven.
- Time3 hr 30
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £3.34 a head
- Oven150°C (130°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
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Method
- 1
Mix the garlic, cumin, ginger, paprika, pepper, saffron, preserved lemon, 2 tbsp oil and some salt in a bowl. Rub it all over the beef. Leave for 30 minutes, or overnight in the fridge for more flavour.
30 min - 2
Heat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan). Heat the remaining oil in a casserole and brown the beef for 6 to 8 minutes in batches, until golden on all sides.
8 min - 3
Return all the beef to the casserole and add the water. Cover with a piece of baking paper, then the lid, to seal in the steam.
- 4
Cook in the oven for 3 hours, until the beef shreds easily with a fork. Check once halfway and add a splash of water if the pan is dry.
180 min - 5
Lift the beef onto a dish and pull it apart into large shreds. Boil the juices on the hob for 5 minutes until syrupy, then stir in the lemon juice.
5 min - 6
Pour the juices over the beef and scatter with parsley. Serve with flatbread, couscous or rice.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.