Moroccan · Main course
Sahara Camel Meat Tagine
In the desert south, camel is prized meat, and this tagine slow-braises it with onions, tomato, cumin and a little sweetness from dates until the lean, deeply flavoured meat turns tender. Camel needs long, patient cooking, and the reward is a rich, gamey tagine quite unlike lamb or beef — true Saharan cooking.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 180 min
- Total
- 205 min
- Serves
- 5
- Level
- Advanced
Ingredients
- 900 g camel meat (shoulder or leg), in chunks
- 2 onions, sliced
- 3 tomatoes, grated
- 6 dates, pitted
- 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp paprika, 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 tbsp olive oil, salt, black pepper
- Coriander, to finish
Method
- 1
Brown the meat
Brown the camel chunks in oil, then add the onion and garlic and soften.
- 2
Spice
Stir in the cumin, ginger, paprika and cinnamon, then the grated tomato, and cook to a paste.
- 3
Long braise
Add water to nearly cover, bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook 2 1/2 to 3 hours until the lean meat is finally tender, topping up water as needed.
- 4
Add sweetness
Add the dates in the last 20 minutes to melt into the sauce and balance the gamey meat.
- 5
Finish
Reduce the sauce to a rich glaze, season, and finish with coriander.
Chef's tips
- Camel is very lean — long, slow, moist cooking is the only way to make it tender.
- The dates counter the strong, gamey flavour with a gentle sweetness; do not skip them.
Frequently asked questions
Where is camel eaten in Morocco?
Mainly in the desert south and Saharan regions, where camel is traditional; it is also sold in some city butchers and markets.
Can I substitute the meat?
Beef shin makes a good stand-in with the same method and spices, though it lacks camel's distinctive gamey depth.