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Belen Tava (Turkish-Style Braised Meat)

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Prep time: 20 mins | Bake time: 60–75 mins | Servings: 4–6

Ingredients

  • The Meat:
    • 1.5 lbs lamb or beef, cut into small cubes.
    • 1/4 lb tail fat or butter (for authentic richness).
  • The Vegetables:
    • 2–3 medium tomatoes, chopped.
    • 4–5 green peppers (Sivri or Charlie), chopped.
    • 1 red bell pepper, chopped.
    • 1 large onion, diced.
    • 5–6 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole or halved.
  • The Seasoning:
    • 1 tbsp tomato paste.
    • 1 tbsp red pepper paste (Biber Salçası).
    • 1 tsp dried oregano (Kekik).
    • 1 tsp red pepper flakes (Pul Biber).
    • Salt and black pepper to taste.
    • 1/4 cup olive oil.

Instructions

  1. Prep: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Combine: In a large bowl or directly in a clay baking dish (Tava), combine the cubed meat, tomatoes, peppers, onion, and garlic.
  3. Season: In a small jug, whisk together the olive oil, tomato paste, pepper paste, and all spices. Pour this over the meat and vegetables.
  4. Mix: Use your hands or a large spoon to toss everything together until the meat and vegetables are thoroughly coated in the spice paste.
  5. Assemble: Spread the mixture evenly in the baking dish. Top with small knobs of butter or pieces of tail fat to ensure the meat remains juicy.
  6. Cover & Bake: Cover the dish tightly with parchment paper and then aluminum foil. Bake for 50–60 minutes.
  7. Brown: Remove the foil and parchment paper. Bake for an additional 15 minutes to allow the juices to thicken and the meat to brown slightly on top.
  8. Serve: Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving directly from the dish.

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