Moroccan BBQ - Mechoui, Skewers, and Chermoula | The Rub Kitchen
In Morocco, grilling revolves around two extremes: the grand festivity of mechoui — a whole roasted lamb for large gatherings — and the everyday simplicity of brochettes from a street grill. Both are deeply rooted in Moroccan hospitality culture, and both are inextricably linked to the rich spice traditions of North African cuisine.
Mechoui — the celebratory lamb
Mechoui (from the Arabic maschwi: grilled) is a whole roasted lamb — the traditional celebratory dish for big occasions in Morocco: weddings, the Eid al-Adha sacrifice festival, family gatherings. The lamb is roasted on a spit or cooked in a tandir (earthen oven) — for hours, over low heat, until the meat falls off the bone.
Preparation
- The lamb is rubbed with a mixture of butter (or smen — aged butter), garlic, cumin, salt, and sometimes saffron or paprika powder.
- Traditionally: pit-roasting (mechoui bil ferran) — the lamb is placed in an earthen pit with glowing coals, covered with earth and leaves — providing even heat from all sides.
- Modern version: slowly on a spit over a wood fire, 4–6 hours.
- The skin becomes crispy and deep brown; the meat is so tender it's eaten with the hands.
Side dishes: Moroccan bread (khobz), cumin for dipping, harissa, grilled vegetables.
Brochettes — the everyday street grill
Brochettes are Moroccan skewers — small cubes of lamb, beef, or chicken, or kofta (minced meat mix), grilled over charcoal. They are sold in every souk and square in Marrakech, Fes, and Casablanca, and are the fastest and most accessible street food in the country.
Classic seasoning for brochettes:
- Cumin — the backbone of Moroccan grill spices
- Paprika powder — sweet and lightly smoky
- Coriander (ground)
- Garlic
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh parsley or coriander mixed into the minced meat
Chermoula — the Moroccan marinade
Chermoula is the classic Moroccan marinade, primarily used for fish and seafood but also for chicken and lamb. It is a seasoning based on fresh herbs and spices — comparable to chimichurri in function but completely different in profile.
See the recipe: → Chermoula recipe — Moroccan marinade for BBQ
Ras el Hanout on the BBQ
Ras el Hanout — literally "head of the shop" — is a complex North African spice mix of sometimes 30+ ingredients: cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin, coriander, allspice, ginger, turmeric, rose hips. It is used as a dry rub or added to marinades for lamb and beef.
→ More about Ras el Hanout on the BBQ
Rub tip for Moroccan BBQ
Rub Kitchen tip
The Shawarma BBQ Rub shares the cumin-coriander-paprika profile that is also central to Moroccan brochettes. Excellent on lamb chops, kofta skewers, and Moroccan-style grilled chicken. Add a pinch of cinnamon for a more authentic North African profile.