🇲🇪 Montenegrin Cuisine

Jagnjetina ispod Sača

Lamb Under the Bell

Prep Time 5 hours

Servings 8

Difficulty Hard

Calories 474 kcal

Whole lamb shoulder slow-roasted for hours under a traditional iron bell covered with hot coals, producing impossibly tender, fall-off-the-bone meat.

Ingredients

2kg lamb shoulder
1kg potatoes, quartered
3 onions, quartered
4 cloves garlic, whole
3 sprigs rosemary
3 sprigs thyme
4 tbsp olive oil
500ml water
Salt, pepper

Instructions

1 Season lamb generously with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Let sit 30 min.
2 Arrange potatoes, onions, and garlic in a heavy pan. Place lamb on top. Add herbs and water.
3 Cover with the sač (iron bell dome).
4 Build a fire and pile hot coals over and around the bell.
5 Cook 3-4 hours, replenishing coals as needed, until lamb is fork-tender.
6 Rest 15 min before serving directly from the pan with the roasted vegetables.

Did You Know?

Lifting the sač to reveal perfectly cooked lamb is a ceremonial moment in Montenegro — guests gather around to witness the unveiling and inhale the first rush of aromatic steam.