Raan is a feast to be enjoyed especially in Eid ul Adha. Amongst all meat, I’m a big fan of mutton and the melt-in-the-mouth tenderness of this meat. Follow this recipe to the dot and you’d love the result. I usually make mutton raan in a pot but many visitors asked for instructions in the oven and I can tell you both versions are delicious and tender. The recipe might get slightly confusing as I discussed both methods. Watch the video for the baked version of this recipe. The stove-top version is pretty simple anyway. Mutton leg is called raan in Urdu. In this post, both terms are used interchangeably. My other mutton recipes worth trying are Yakhni Pulao, Lamb Karahi, Aloo Gosht, Mutton Kunna, and Mutton Soup.
Why does this recipe work?
Ingredients
The Ingredients of the mutton raan recipe are common Indian spices that you probably have at home or you can easily get at an Indian store. Remember you can always substitute ground for whole spice with a little compromise in taste. Wet heat: We use wet heat to cook the mutton leg (raan)in the oven or in a pot which makes the meat soft and juicy. Tempering: Then we finish off with aromatic spiced tempering that makes it tasty and tempting. Gravy: The creamy raan gravy step is optional but not to be missed. It makes a perfect feast that could be served with bread or rice.
Choice of meat: The most crucial ingredient in this recipe is the mutton leg itself. The meat of a mature goat is tough and difficult to tenderize. The same is true for wild mountain goats. Getting meat from a younger goat (but at least 2.4 years old not kids) can be helpful. Ask your butcher for the right meat. In the above image, I ask the butcher to break the leg bone so it easily fits in the pot or pan.Spice Mix: For this raan roast, I made a spice mix using cumin, coriander, chili flakes, pepper, and garam masala. You can make it a few days ahead. More optional add-ins for raan spice mix are 1 tablespoon desiccated coconut and ½ tablespoon fennel seeds (sauf).Ginger and garlic: Both control the meaty odors and help enhance the flavors.Yogurt and lemon are tenderizers as well as tanginess to the raan roast.Tempering spices: Apart from cumin and garlic which are easily available you can use these button chilies or dries red chilies like Thai or Peri-peri.Ketchup and creamy lighten the spices in the gravy and help thicken the gravy.
How to make it?
Prepare Spice Mix and make Marinade: Roasting and cooking: Add gravy to the plater and serve. So that is how yummy the goat leg roast turns out with the Pakistani recipe. In the Pakistani version, you would serve this leg without gravy, with a number of chutneys and salads to accompany it. That’s why gravy is optional in the recipe.
Variation
Glazed leg without gravy: Mix ketchup and cream in a bowl. Instead of making gravy cover the leg with ketchup and cream sauce. And roast in a preheated oven at 300 F for 7 minutes. Finish with tempering.You can use beef broth instead of water in the baking tray or pot to make more flavorful gravy.You can add potatoes and carrots towards the end in the baking tray for some roasted sides.
Expert Tips
Roasting time:
Baking time will depend on the weight of the mutton leg and the age of the lamb. I recommend using the mutton leg that weighs about 1.5-2 kg for this recipe. The baking time would be 2.5-3 hr covered and 30 minutes uncovered. Add 30 minutes extra in covered time for every ½ kg. Cooking time in a pot on the stovetop is almost the same as baking time except you skip the uncovered cooking time. These times are estimates always check with the fork to be sure of tenderness. The larger mutton leg has more meat on top. Partially submerge the meaty side in the water for quicker cooking. You’ll need extra water in the baking tray for the larger mutton leg.
Cooking pan:
Use oven-proof glass or good quality metal pan for baking as iron or other metal pans can leave a metallic flavor in the gravy. Hungry for mutton? Check these recipes! If you try this mutton raan recipe, I’d LOVE to hear your feedback in the comments. Your 5-ratings motivate me to do my best. Stay connected for more recipes and videos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Youtube.
📖 Recipe
