The true Mongolian barbecue (unrelated to the stir-fry restaurants): mutton on the bone sealed in a milk churn or pot with fire-heated river stones, which cook the meat from the inside while it steams. Diners toss the greasy hot stones between their hands afterward — folklore says it is good for circulation.
Also known as: khorkhog, horhog, Mongolian barbecue authentic, khorkhog Mongolian, stone-cooked mutton
Watch it made
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg bone-in mutton or lamb (ribs, neck, shoulder), in big chunks
- 8-10 smooth fist-size granite stones, scrubbed
- 4 potatoes, halved
- 3 carrots, in long pieces
- 2 onions, quartered
- 300 ml water
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
How to make it
- 1
Heat the stones in a wood fire or a 250°C oven for 40-45 minutes, until too hot to approach.
- 2
Using tongs, build layers in a large lidded pot: stones, meat, vegetables, more stones, seasoning as you go.
- 3
Pour in the water, lock the lid on tight and set over medium-low heat 60-75 minutes, giving the sealed pot a careful shake now and then.
- 4
Open the lid away from your face — steam rushes out — and lift meat and vegetables onto a platter, spooning over the peppery broth.
Pro tip: Only dense, smooth river stones survive the fire; porous rock can split violently. Mongolians pass the hot, greasy stones palm to palm for good health — at least use them to warm the bowls.
