Khorkhog
A Mongolian nomadic herding dish traditionally cooked with fist-sized river stones heated red-hot in an open fire, then sealed inside a metal milk-churn or pot along with goat or mutton so the residual heat of the stones cooks the meat from the inside out — diners traditionally pass the hot stones hand-to-hand afterward, believed to be good for the hands. Since open-fire river-stone cooking isn't safely replicable indoors, this recipe adapts the technique to a Dutch oven, explicitly as an approximation of the traditional method rather than the real thing.
Meat
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg bone-in goat or lamb, cut into pieces
- 1 onion, quartered
- 2 carrots, chunked
- 4 potatoes, quartered
- 1 head garlic, cloves separated but unpeeled
- 1 tsp cumin
- Salt
- A splash of water
Steps
- Layer the meat, vegetables, garlic, and salt in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven.
- Add a small splash of water, then seal the pot tightly with its lid.
- Cook over low heat on the stovetop or in a 160°C oven for 1.5-2 hours, until the meat is falling off the bone.
- Serve communally, with the cooking broth poured out as a starter course.