Tichtar

Name: Tichtar
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mauritania
Ingredients: 1 kg lean beef or camel meat, cut into thin strips; 3 tbsp coarse salt; 2 tbsp ground black pepper; 1 tbsp cumin; 1 tbsp dried chili flakes; 4 tbsp vegetable oil or rendered fat; String or rack, for drying

6 servings20 min prep15 min cookMedium Mauritania

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The Story Behind It

The Tale of Tichtar

Story updated September 17, 2026

Tichtar, dried, spiced meat similar to jerky, reflects Mauritania's nomadic Moorish herding traditions, where preserving meat by drying and salting was essential for desert travel across the Sahara before refrigeration existed. It remains a practical way to store meat in the country's arid climate.

Ingredients

Scale:· 6 servings

1 kg lean beef or camel meat, cut into thin strips
3 tbsp coarse salt
2 tbsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp dried chili flakes
4 tbsp vegetable oil or rendered fat
String or rack, for drying

Instructions

1Slice the meat into thin, even strips against the grain.
2Rub the strips generously with coarse salt, black pepper, cumin and chili flakes.
3Hang the strips on a string or rack in a dry, well-ventilated, sunny area, covered loosely to protect from insects.
4Let the meat dry for 1-2 days, turning occasionally, until firm and deeply reduced in size.
5To serve, cut the dried meat into smaller pieces.
6Heat the oil or fat in a skillet and fry the dried meat pieces for 5-8 minutes until browned and slightly crisp at the edges.
7Serve hot as a protein-rich dish alongside rice or flatbread.

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