WOOD FIRE WONDERS

Mongolian Khorkhog

Ingredients

2 kg of mutton or lamb (cut into chunks); 1 kg of potatoes (quartered); 4 carrots (sliced thickly); 2 onions (quartered); 4 cloves of garlic (halved); 2 bell peppers (chopped); salt and pepper to taste; water; a handful of hot stones (optional)

Preparation and Cooking

  • Season the meat with salt and pepper, and arrange a layer of meat at the bottom of a clay pot with lid. Then follow with a layer of vegetables and another layer of meat, until all the ingredients are used.
  • If using traditional method of cooking with hot stones, clean them and heat them in the oven.
  • Fill the pot with water just enough to cover the ingredients and place the hot stones into the pot, if using.
  • Close the lid of the pot and place it in the wood fired oven to cook for about 2-3 hours as described previously, in Area E at 170-200oC (under without flame radiation) or in slow cooking mode in Area G (while the door is closed and at around 110-130oC) for a longer period of time (4-5 hours).
  • Serve the khorkhog hot, ideally straight from the pot with a mixture of the meat and vegitables. A freshly cooked flat breads, and rice or bulgur pilaf may also accompany the dish.

Hints and Comments

Khorkhog is essentially a Mongolian barbecued mutton, which is often cooked for large gatherings in a communal setting and in a specially designed metal jug or container where hot stones and chunks of mutton alternate in layers, then the jug is sealed and placed into a wood-fired oven.