After having spent several weeks in Morocco I recently experienced a first- Moroccan BBQ.
I was on a bus ride from Fez to Chefchaouen when the bus pulled over mid-way for its scheduled stop. Usually, on bus rides, I’m accustomed to grabbing a quick sandwich or bag of chips. This turned out to be a welcome change.
The locals quickly lined up at a butcher counter and began calling out orders. I stood back to take it all in and figure out what the process was.
I quickly learned that everyone was buying fresh meat and taking it to a nearby grill to be cooked. As soon as the meat hit the flames the entire rest stop began to smell amazing. I excitedly jumped into line to take part in the Moroccan BBQ.
I pointed at what the group ahead of me had ordered and indicated in my best horrible broken Spanish that I only needed enough for one person. “Carne por una persona, por favor”, I told the butcher. He quickly weighed and passed to me what looked much like a seasoned hamburger patty. He collected his payment of 20 dirham/$2 USD and took the order of the person next in line behind me.
I carried the plate to the nearby grill and the cook separated the meat into small breakfast sausage-like pieces. Next, he filled a double-sided metal grill with the meat and placed my order in line.
Not 5 minutes later the man called out to me to collect my order. I paid the grill fee of 5 dirhams/0.50 USD and carried my plate back to my table. The fifty cents covered not only the cost of grilling but also a half loaf of fresh bread.
Moroccan BBQ was honestly one of the best road stop meals I’ve ever had. It was way better than the usual convenience store garbage I’m used to shoving down my throat before jumping back on the bus.
If you ever find yourself at a setup like this don’t let the huge dead pig hanging in front scare you off. Jump in the line, use your best terrible attempt at whatever language you think might help, and grab some Moroccan BBQ. You’ll be glad you did.
Visiting other destinations in Morroco? Check out our other delicious guides:
- Marrakech Food Tours: Best Walking Food Tour of Marrakech, Morocco
- Falling for Marrakech
- Chefchaouen: The Blue Pearl of Morocco
Would you try Moroccan BBQ? Let me know in the comments section below!
Travel writer and owner of the blog. My work has been featured on Fodors, Eater.com, International Living, and Great Escape Publishing, among many others. My story? Nearly six years ago, I left my job at an Oklahoma City law firm and embarked on a journey around the world. At the time, I thought I would only be gone for 6 months, but the more I traveled, the longer my bucket list became. Flashpacker describes how I travel. Rather than traveling as the normal world wise backpacker and staying in hostel dorms, I prefer a more comfortable experience, and typically stay in private rooms, take Ubers instead of taxis, and now use a suitcase instead of a backpack. Foodie, on the other hand, describes one of the key reasons why I travel. I love to pick a central “base camp” and then explore the surrounding area, really immersing myself in the culture and interacting with the people, and enjoying and exploring the food of an area is an essential part of this experience.
integratori dimagranti
Monday 30th of July 2018
Do you mind if I quote a few of your articles as long as I provide credit and sources back to your webpage? My blog is in the very same area of interest as yours and my users would definitely benefit from a lot of the information you provide here. Please let me know if this okay with you. Cheers!
Nathan
Tuesday 7th of August 2018
email me at nathan@foodieflashpacker.com to discuss this, please.
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Wednesday 13th of December 2017
Good post. I lеаrn something new and cһaⅼlenging on websites I stumbleupon еvery day. It will always be helpful to read through articles from other wrditers and practice something from other websites.
Nathan
Tuesday 3rd of January 2017
Thank you! I appreciate you saying that.
Prateek Dasgupta
Tuesday 14th of June 2016
Since I am from India, I am quite used to seeing meat hanging out in the butcher's stall as the system is similar here. People prefer fresh meat and want to see if the butcher is being honest with them or not, great write up on Moroccan BBQ. It's highly underrated, the cuisine is much more than tagines and couscous!
Nathan
Wednesday 15th of June 2016
What part of India are you from? I spent 6 weeks in India but it's such a huge country I feel like I barely saw any of it. Many people there were vegetarians. The food in India is some of the best in the world.
Isaac
Tuesday 7th of June 2016
Wow. That's probably the best looking roadside meal I've seen! Presentation game is on point.
Nathan
Wednesday 8th of June 2016
Thank you! It was really delicious also. I was much impressed with it for a roadside meal.