Moroccan · Main course
Osban (Moroccan Stuffed Offal Sausage)
Osban are hand-tied Aïd sausages — lengths of cleaned lamb intestine stuffed with a fragrant mix of minced offal, a little meat, rice, herbs and spices, then poached and often finished in a tagine or couscous. Sliced into the pot, they add deep savour and are a beloved way to honour the whole animal at the feast.
- Prep
- 75 min
- Cook
- 75 min
- Total
- 150 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Advanced
Ingredients
- Cleaned lamb intestine casings
- 300 g minced lamb
- 300 g mixed offal (liver, heart, lung), finely chopped
- 120 g rice, rinsed
- 1 large bunch parsley and coriander, chopped
- 1 onion, grated
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika and 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 1 tsp dried mint
- 4 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper
Method
- 1
Prepare the filling
Combine the minced lamb, chopped offal, rice, herbs, grated onion, cumin, paprika, cayenne, mint, oil, salt and pepper into a well-mixed stuffing.
- 2
Fill the casings
Using a wide funnel, loosely fill the intestine casings, leaving slack for the rice to expand, and tie off into 12–15 cm links.
- 3
Prick and poach
Prick each sausage all over, then poach gently in salted water for about 40 minutes until firm and the rice is cooked.
- 4
Finish in a tagine
Slice the poached osban and add to a simmering tomato tagine or couscous broth for the last 20 minutes to soak up flavour.
- 5
Serve
Serve the sliced osban with their sauce, bread and a squeeze of lemon.
Chef's tips
- Fill loosely and tie snugly — the rice swells and tightly packed sausages will burst when poached.
- Prick all over before poaching so steam escapes without splitting the casing.
- Poach first, then add to the tagine; cooking raw osban straight in sauce risks bursting and cloudy liquid.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make osban without casings?
You can shape the filling into patties or a loaf and poach or bake it, but the traditional charm is the sliced sausage links simmered in a tagine.
How long do they keep?
Poached osban keep 2–3 days chilled and freeze well; add them to sauces straight from frozen, extending the simmer a little.