Khlea: The Ancestral Art of Curing

In the days before modern refrigeration, Moroccan families developed ingenious ways to preserve meat for the long, cold winters. The most famous and beloved of these methods is Khlea (or Khli), a rich, intensely savory preserved meat preparation most closely associated with the culinary capital of Fes.

Sun, Spice, and Fat

The preparation of Khlea begins in the heat of summer. Strips of beef or camel meat are heavily marinated in a fragrant paste of coriander, cumin, garlic, and vinegar. The meat is then hung on lines to dry under the fierce Moroccan sun for several days, creating a sort of jerky called gueddid.

But the process doesn’t stop there. The sun-dried meat is then slowly cooked in a massive vat of water, oil, and animal fat (suet). Once the water evaporates, the meat is packed into jars and entirely submerged in the cooling, solidifying fat, sealing it away from the air and preserving it for up to two years.

A Sizzling Breakfast

Khlea is the ultimate comfort food. The most classic preparation is Khlea bel Baid—a chunk of the fat and meat is scooped into a hot clay tagine, where it melts and sizzles. Fresh eggs are cracked directly into the bubbling spiced fat. Served with crusty bread and mint tea, it is a breakfast fit for a king.