DELICIOUS TURKISH LAMB CASSEROLE (GÜVEÇ)
This Delicious Turkish Lamb Guvec (trk.Güveç ) is a hearty mouth-watering casserole dish made with tender pieces of lamb and a variety of seasonal vegetables and slow-cooked covered in a large traditional clay pot. Hardly any liquid is added to the casserole because the meat and vegetables have to cook in their own juices. The stew has wonderful rich earthy aromas and is the perfect comfort food!
HISTORY OF TURKISH LAMB GUVEC.
The Turkish word güveç refers to a type of traditional earthenware casserole pots and all dishes cooked in them. They were introduced to the Balkans by the Ottomans and came in a variety of sizes, from small to extra large.
Families, then, were large with many mouths to feed. That’s the reason, this easy to prepare dish made in extra-large pots became so popular. At that time, everyone cooked on fire. These large clay pots were too big to fit in a domestic stove and they cooked them in fire pits in the garden. Later on, public ovens started to operate and the locals took their extra-large Guvec casseroles to be cooked there.
Nowadays, the demand for using public ovens is no longer. The families are small and cook in regular size guvec pots that fit easily in domestic electric ovens at home.
VARIATIONS OF GUVEC CASSEROL.
Guvec can be prepared with meat or as a vegetarian dish. Check out my recipe for Turkish Vegan Guvec.
As a meat dish, you can make Guvec with almost any kind of meat, smoked sausages, ribs and even with fish.
GUVEC RECIPES ON MY BLOG
HOW TO PREPARE THE LAMB CASSEROLE/ GUVEC?
📋 INGREDIENTS IN TURKISH LAMB GUVEC
Typically, Lamb Guvec is prepared with late summer vegetables: eggplant (aubergine), zucchini (courgettes), tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, onions, garlic and okra. Garden peas, sweet corn, chillis and green or runner beans are also commonly used.
Guvec dishes require very little water or stock to be added for the meat and the vegetables to release more concentrated flavours.
Traditionally, the guvec is spiced with ground cumin, paprika, savoury spice, mint and various dry fresh herbs and spices.
📖 STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
You can cook this easy casserole in most oven-proof casserole dishes, as long as they have a lid, but I do recommend using a clay or an earthenware pot because they impart wonderful earthy aromas.
Preheat the oven to 220°C/428°F.
Step 1. Prepare the meat
Cut the lamb into portions, remove the sinew and rub the meat with a mix of salt, paprika and ground cumin.
Step 2. PREPARE the vegetables
Peel the potatoes, onions, and garlic. Remove the stalks from the peppers, eggplant (aubergine) and zucchini (courgette). Remove the seeds from the peppers. Wash all vegetables well then cut them into large cubes. Leave only the okra whole.
You do not need to peel the eggplant and zucchini, but that’s up to you if you want to do it. Sprinkle the eggplant and zucchini cubes with salt and leave them on a tray or a large plate for 15 minutes to release their bitter juices. Rinse and dry the eggplant (aubergine) and zucchini (courgette) cubes to remove excess salt before you add them to the clay pot.
Step 3. Assemble the CASSEROLE dish
Place the lamb steaks in the bottom of the clay pot first. Pour two tablespoons of oil over the meat, then layer the potatoes on top.
Mix all the vegetables together and place them on top of the potatoes.
Pour the rest of the oil on top and add just a little water. Do not stir the ingredients!
Step 4. Cook the Guvec
Place the clay pot with the Guvec in the hot oven. After 15 minutes when the liquid starts bubbling, reduce the temperature to 160°C/338°F and slow cook the guvec for 1.5 hours.
Once cooked, turn off the heat and let the Guvec rest for 30 minutes for the flavours to blend in and settle. Taste the guvec to check if it needs more seasoning. Serve the dish with fresh bread.
🍲 SERVE TURKISH LAMB GUVEC
Although Turkish Lamb Guvec is a whole meal on its own with plenty of flavoursome vegetables and succulent meat, it can be complemented well with a salad and fresh bread.
Enjoy! 👨🍳👨🍳👨🍳
PIN IT FOR LATER!
featured AUTHENTIC Stew RECIPES FROM THE BALKAN CUISINES
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Delicious Turkish Lamb Casserole (Güveç)
Equipment
- large clay pot or cast iron oven dish with lid
Ingredients
- 500 g fatty lamb/lamb shoulder
- 2 potatoes cut into cubes
- 2 onions cut into large pieces
- 2 tomatoes cut into cubes
- 1 eggplant (aubergine) cut into cubes
- 1 zucchini (courgette) cut into cubes
- 1 red bell or long sweet pepper cut into large slices
- 1 carrot cut into cubes
- 8 okras whole
- 6 garlic cloves cut in chucks
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon koshier salt
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup water
- salt and pepper for seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/428°F.
- Peel the potatoes, onions and garlic. Do not peel the skin of the zucchini (courgette) and the eggplant (aubergine) but remove the stalks. Remove the seeds and the stalks of the peppers. Wash all vegetables well and cut them into chunky pieces.
- Place the eggplant (aubergine) and zucchini(courgette) cubes on a large plate and sprinkle with salt on both sides. Leave them aside to sweat for 10-15 minutes and to release their bitterness. Rinse the eggplant and courgette cubes in a colander under your kitchen tap, then pat them dry on a paper towel.
- Cut the lamb into portions and rub it with a blend of salt, ground cumin and paprika. Place the spiced meat on the bottom of the clay pot and pour two tablespoons of olive oil over it.
- Spread the cubed potatoes over the meat. Mix the vegetables in a large bowl and lay them over the potatoes. Pour the remaining oil and water over the vegetables and cover with the lid.
- Place the clay pot in the middle of the hot oven. In about 15 minutes, when the liquid in the casserole starts bubbling, reduce the temperature to 160°C/320°F and cook for 1.5 hours. Do not stir or open the lid while the guvec is cooking.
- Take the dish out of the oven and let it rest for 30 minutes for the flavours to settle. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper and plain yoghurt.
