Every Eid Al-Adha, Moroccan families set aside large quantities of meat and dry it to prepare the Gueddid, which is used throughout the year for cooking several famous and delicious Moroccan dishes.
Gueddid is prepared by cutting the meat into strips then adding various spices known in Morocco, which differ from one region to another (oil, turmeric, pepper, saffron, salt, ginger and garlic). The meat is then spread on the clothesline and left to dry in the sun for at least three days while removing it at night and protecting it from the rain to prevent it from spoiling. These dried slices are then put in small bags and kept in the refrigerator or freezer. The Gueddid is then used during ceremonies or with certain dishes such as Couscous, lentils and white beans (loubia). During the celebrations of the eve of Achoura, Moroccans celebrate by singing about the Gueddid: “Gueddida, gueddida, wrapping brooches”.
Gueddid is useful for Moroccan families during difficult times, especially when financial resources do not allow them to buy meat, thus they use it as an alternative, because it gives the dishes a special and delicious taste. In the past, families also used to make Gueddid to preserve meat, especially in rural and remote areas, where neither electricity nor refrigerators were available.
Moroccans have inherited this recipe for generations, because in the past, grandmothers preserved meat in this way for years, as has been the case in many other Arab cultures over the centuries.
Health experts talk about the benefits of Gueddid, which they prefer over Sausage, because it is able to preserve proteins and essential materials, and to give energy to the body, especially when it is cold. It is also considered a cleanser for the intestines, but they stress the importance of using a large amount of salt during its preparation, as well as warning from the danger of rotting.
Gueddid is also used in other countries in the Arab world, including Algeria and Tunisia, where it is prepared in the same way as in Morocco.
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