Slow-cooked mutton

Name: Slow-cooked mutton
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 200 min
Total time: 235 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Namibie
Ingredients: 1000 g boneless mutton shoulder, trimmed and cut into 4 cm pieces; 250 g sliced onions; 300 g carrots in thick rounds; 400 g chopped tomatoes with no added salt; 15 g chopped garlic; 20 g sunflower oil; 500 ml unsalted vegetable stock; 200 ml hot water, reserved for adjusting the cooking liquid; 20 g tomato paste; 2 bay leaves; 2 g sweet paprika; 1 g ground black pepper; 4 g salt; 15 ml lemon juice

Mutton shoulder gently braised with tomato, carrot and onion until the meat is tender and the sauce generous.

Ingredients

1000 g boneless mutton shoulder, trimmed and cut into 4 cm pieces
250 g sliced onions
300 g carrots in thick rounds
400 g chopped tomatoes with no added salt
15 g chopped garlic
20 g sunflower oil
500 ml unsalted vegetable stock
200 ml hot water, reserved for adjusting the cooking liquid
20 g tomato paste
2 bay leaves
2 g sweet paprika
1 g ground black pepper
4 g salt
15 ml lemon juice

Preparation

Prepare the vegetables and measure the liquids. Remove large patches of fat and thick membranes from the meat without removing all the connective tissue: it will contribute tenderness. Pat the pieces dry with paper towels, then wash your hands and clean the work surface after handling the raw mutton.

Heat the oil in a heavy casserole over medium-high heat. Brown the meat in several batches for 20 min in total, without crowding the pieces. Turn them when they release easily, then set them aside in a dish. Keep the brown cooking deposits, but remove any genuinely burnt material.

Lower the heat, add the onions and carrots, then cook for 10 min, stirring. Add the garlic, tomato paste and paprika, then continue for 5 min over moderate heat. The paste should darken slightly without sticking to the bottom or developing an acrid smell.

Gradually pour in the stock, scraping up the cooking deposits. Return the meat and its juices to the casserole, then add the tomatoes, bay leaves, pepper and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over about 5 min. The liquid should come almost level with the pieces without completely submerging them.

Cover and simmer over very low heat for 150 min. The liquid should barely quiver: a rolling boil contracts the fibres and encourages evaporation. Check every 30 min, gently turn the pieces and add a little of the reserved hot water only if the bottom is in danger of catching.

Pierce a large piece with a fork. It should yield without resistance and come apart easily, not merely be cooked through. If the mutton remains firm, extend the covered cooking by 30–60 min, checking the moisture. This additional time depends on the animal’s age and must be added to the stated total time.

Once the meat is tender, uncover and reduce the sauce for 10 min at a moderate simmer. If it is already thick enough, leave the lid slightly open and use minimal heat. Avoid vigorous stirring so the pieces retain their shape; remove the bay leaves.

Turn off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and rest for 10 min with the lid slightly open. Taste the sauce before adding any more salt. If desired, skim visible fat with a spoon, then divide the meat, vegetables and sauce evenly between the plates.

Serve hot, with a separately prepared cereal accompaniment if desired. The indicative schedule includes 25 min preparation, 200 min cooking and 10 min resting, making 235 min; allow extra time if the meat needs the stated extension. No cereal accompaniment is included in the ingredients or nutrition.