Jordanian Zarb Bedouin Dish (Printable)

A slow-cooked dish of marinated lamb or chicken with vegetables, infused with warm spices and smoky flavor.

# Ingredient List:

→ Meat

01 - 3.3 pounds lamb shoulder or chicken pieces, bone-in, cut into large chunks
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 teaspoons ground cumin
04 - 2 teaspoons ground coriander
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
08 - 2 teaspoons salt
09 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
10 - Juice of 1 lemon

→ Vegetables

11 - 3 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
12 - 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped into large pieces
13 - 2 medium onions, quartered
14 - 2 medium zucchinis, sliced into thick rounds
15 - 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
16 - 1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
17 - 2 medium tomatoes, quartered

→ Rice (optional, for serving)

18 - 2 cups long-grain rice, rinsed
19 - 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
20 - 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
21 - Salt, to taste

# Steps:

01 - Combine olive oil, ground cumin, coriander, cinnamon, smoked paprika, black pepper, salt, minced garlic, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add the meat and massage marinade into the pieces. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
02 - Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C) if an underground pit is not being used.
03 - Place the marinated meat pieces on a wire rack or large roasting tray.
04 - Toss all vegetables with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange them around and beneath the meat in the roasting tray.
05 - Cover the tray tightly with aluminum foil (or wrap in banana leaves before foil for authenticity) to trap steam and flavors.
06 - Bake for 2.5 hours or until meat is tender and vegetables are cooked through. If using an underground oven, place the wrapped tray into the preheated pit and cover with hot coals and sand.
07 - Combine rice, broth, butter or olive oil, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until rice is fluffy.
08 - Carefully remove foil and transfer meat and vegetables to a large serving platter, optionally over rice. Spoon pan juices on top before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one vessel, so you're free to disappear for two and a half hours without guilt.
  • The spice blend tastes like someone who actually knows Middle Eastern cooking decided what you should eat.
  • Meat and vegetables emerge so tender they convince you that slow cooking is worth the wait.
02 -
  • Don't skip the overnight marinade if you have time; it's the difference between good zarb and the kind people actually remember.
  • Keep that foil sealed during cooking because opening it even once lets out months of preparation worth of steam and flavor.
  • The vegetables cook perfectly in the moisture released by the meat, so you don't need to add liquid, which keeps everything from becoming watery.
03 -
  • If your oven tends to run hot or cold, check the meat after two hours since every oven has personality and you want that meat genuinely tender, not dried out.
  • Let the foil rest for five minutes after removing from the oven before opening it; that extra time lets the residual heat finish any vegetables still firming up.
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