When you think of mutton, you think of delicious biryanis and curries with succulent meat that’s just falling off the bone. But sometimes, when you try to cook it, you’re left with meat that’s dry and stringy. What a disappointment!
When cooked right, mutton is soft, juicy, and lip-smackingly delicious. If you’re struggling with cooking mutton perfectly, you’ll enjoy this article.
We ran a little poll and asked if you had any trouble cooking mutton, and we got over a hundred questions! We knew we had to get answers from the experts & went straight to our Chief Innovation Officer – Joe Manavalan.
Here are the most frequently asked questions about cooking mutton:
When’s the right time to add salt to mutton?
Add salt to the marinade, so the juices from the meat flow out & the salt gets absorbed. Salt is a taste enhancer in and of itself, however, by adding salt to your marinade the meat retains more of its flavour post-cooking and it can tenderise the meat further. Once you’re done cooking, taste & season if needed. Here’s a scrumptious recipe that uses salt in the marinade to try out – Mutton Kosha
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Mutton Kosha Recipe
Instructions
Finely slice your onions. Heat 2 tbsp of mustard oil in your pressure cooker to fry half the onions and 2 dried red chillies. Once fried and cooled, make a paste of this in your grinder.
Lower the heat and add the remaining mustard oil to the wok. Crush your bay leaves and add them to the oil along with the cloves, cinnamon, cardamon, tsp of sugar and a tsp of salt.
Add the other half of the sliced onions in, only when the whole spices begin to splutter. Allow the onions to fry until golden brown. Midway through frying the onions, add in the 2 tbsp of Kashmiri chilli powder for colour and 1 tsp regular chilli powder for heat.
When the sliced onions are almost golden, add in the onion paste you made earlier.
Once the raw smell of the spices goes away then you can add in your mutton. Brown your mutton evenly then add in a cup of water and pressure cook it for 3-4 whistles.
Transfer your dish to a wok at this stage to begin the kosha or slow cooking. Cover your wok and on a low flame cook the meat until all the water evaporates, stirring occasionally. Eventually the colour will darken.
When you are happy with the colour of your curry, and the mutton is cooked, add in a little garam masala powder and check the seasoning.
Finally serve hot with rice or puris.
Recipe Notes
A lot of people also enjoy adding potatoes to this dish, so that’s something to consider if you’re a big potato fan. A spoonful of ghee, fried onions and garlic or fresh coriander and mint, make for great toppings. The dish really develops a stronger flavour when eaten the next day as well. Tip: If you don’t have time to slow cook your mutton kosha in a wok, after 4 whistles you can lower your heat and cook it for 20 minutes in the pressure cooker or instant pot. What are you waiting for? Try this dish out and you won’t be disappointed!
How long should I marinate the mutton for?
Marinate it overnight, in a base of yogurt & malt vinegar, for maximum flavour retention. If you don’t have the time, use raw papaya skin paste, nutmeg, or pineapple pulp. Another alternative to yogurt is buttermilk. You can also substitute the vinegar for lemon or kiwi fruit juice if you’ve got some handy. At the very least, if you can manage it, we’d say marinate for 30-45 minutes minimum. Remember, the bigger the meat, the longer the marination. This Mutton Seekh Kebab Recipe calls for 5 hours of marination but overnight would be even better.
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Make Mutton Seekh Kebabs at Home in Simple 3 Steps
Instructions
In a bowl, mix keema, vinegar, fenugreek leaves, garlic-ginger paste, coriander leaves, green chillies, salt and black pepper. Cover and refrigerate the mixture for at least 5 hours.
Take a few portions of the marinated mince and roll into elongated kebab around the skewer sticks. Place them on the grill of a pre-heated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Brush some oil and let them cook for another 2 minutes.
Remove from the skewers on a plate and garnish with chaat masala and lemon wedges. Serve with mint chutney and pickled onions or salad.
Recipe Notes
Recipe Tip If you are using wooden skewers, then soak them in cold water for about 10 minutes. Share your version of this recipe This was our simple seekh kebab recipe. How do you make seekh kebabs? Share your version of the recipe with us. Frequently Asked Questions How do I prevent the kebabs from falling apart? Add adequate salt before mixing the mutton. This will help in preventing the kebabs from falling apart. Can I use lamb or chicken for making seekh kebabs? Yes. You can use lamb meat with fat or also chicken meat for making seekh kebabs. The procedure remains the same; however, the cooking time may vary.
How can you make lean cuts of mutton taste better?
By adding more fat like butter or ghee while cooking. Adding more yogurt to the marinade will also help. Additionally, you can score your meat because this allows the seasoning you’ve used to seep into it. Plus, scoring prevents your meat from tightening up when it hits a hot pan. Here’s a recipe that uses 3-4 tablespoons of ghee which makes it perfect for leaner cuts – Methi Mutton Curry.
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How to make easy and delicious Methi Mutton Curry
Instructions
Start by pressure cooking the mutton with turmeric and salt. Switch off after 8-10 whistles. Separate mutton and broth.
Pour oil into the cooker and heat. Add ginger-garlic paste and tomato and fry.
Add mutton and potato and fry.
Add methi leaves, chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Fry.
Add coconut and onion paste. Fry.
Pour mutton broth into the cooker and cover.
Switch off the cooker after 1 whistle.
For added flavour and thicker texture add a dollop of ghee on top before serving.
Serve hot alongside chapatis or rice.
How long does mutton take to cook without pressure cooking?
Cook the mutton low and slow, so all the juices & fat melt into the curry. Licious mutton will need around 50 minutes till it’s fall-off-the-bone tender. There’s a reason why ‘good things come to those who wait’ is a popular proverb. It’s because it’s 100% accurate, this can’t be more true than when you’re cooking mutton. When done, the meat will be succulent, juicy, and ultra-tender. Here’s a delicious Lamb Soup that’s cooked for over an hour but totally worth it.
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How to Make a Healthy Bowl of Lamb Soup at Home
Instructions
In a soup pot, heat oil and sauté onion, ginger and garlic over medium flame for a few minutes until raw aroma goes away.
Add the whole spices, celery, carrots and bell peppers along with the lamb pieces. Increase the flame to high and stir for a while until the meat turns a little brown.
Add salt while stirring thoroughly and gradually pour in the water. Lower the heat and simmer for an hour. Strain using a muslin cloth to get clear soup.
Garnish with chargrilled pepper and lamb pieces from the soup. Serve with quinoa salad or bread.
Recipe Notes
Recipe Tips You can also add broccoli, pumpkin or baby spinach to the soup to increase the nutritional value as well as enhance its appearance. Share your version of this recipe What is your way of making lamb soup? Share your version of the recipe with us. Frequently Asked Questions What can I use instead of celery? You can substitute celery with coriander stalks. What portions of lamb are best for soup? Lamb shanks, ribs and bones are best for soup.
How can you tell when the meat is cooked?
You’ll know that the meat is cooked when it falls off the bone easily. For a boneless piece of mutton, press it gently – you’ll see the fibers coming apart. The only thing left for you to do would be to enjoy your delicious mutton dish, which you made by following all these steps! Here’s a great recipe that uses a few more mutton tips worth knowing – Green Mutton Curry Recipe
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This Green Mutton Curry Recipe Is The Best Way To Add More Green To Your Life!
Instructions
To make green mutton curry, add the mutton pieces to a pressure cooker along with ½ cup of water and 1 tsp salt, and give it 3 whistles on medium flame.
While the mutton is cooking, grind all the ingredients mentioned under “For the green masala” to a fine paste. Add a little water if you need to.
Heat oil in a kadhai and add the onion puree. Fry it on low heat till the raw smell is gone and add the ginger garlic paste. Cook this mixture until it turns golden-brown.
Add the tomato puree and cook it down until the mixture has turned thick and is releasing oil from the sides.
Add the green masala, salt to taste, and fry well on low heat for 5-6 minutes.
Add the cooked mutton and mix well so the masala coats the mutton completely. If your masala is dry, add ½-1 cup of hot water, cover the kadhai and let the mutton cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
Once the mutton is cooked, taste and adjust the salt if you need to, turn off the heat and add fresh cream. Serve hot with steamed rice or laccha parathas.
Fortunately, Licious has some spectacular mutton just waiting to be bought. Bone-in, boneless, lean, fatty you name it, we’ve got it. Browse our wide range and we’re sure you’ll find a cut worth trying these tips on. Let us know in the comments section below if these tricks worked wonders for you.
