The Best Mutton Biryani Recipe ever - Prepared with utmost care and love, it holds a regal legacy from the kitchen of Nawabs and Nizams. Mutton Biryani is a royal dish that indeed needs no introduction or mentions.
The beautifully spiced and fragrant layers of biryani rice centred with juicy, tender meat and masalas, bliss! Let us see how to make it at home.
To all the non – veg lovers out there, have you ever said NO for a biryani??? I at least do not think so. Thank God, no one from my family tends to fall in these categories.
There may be a few, who specifically believe that making biryani is very technical and tough game. But if you mentally prepare yourself for achieving your goal you can do anything.
Indeed, it is a game of cooking strong and getting the perfect taste out of each ingredient. But never lose hope or confidence. Failure comes with a message of giving another try to make it a success.
About the recipe
Today, I am sharing the most demanding authentic Bombay Mutton Biryani recipe with you all. Generally, the meat biryani is made by two methods.
One is the Hyderabadi Kacche Gosht ki Biryani and the other method is pakki gosht ki biryani. And my this particular recipe falls under the pakki category.
Here is the difference between the two methods:
In Kacchi mutton biryani, the layer of marinated and uncooked meat pieces is placed as the bottom layer. Then the cooked rice is layered on the top of marinated meat layer followed by the process of slow cooking.
Whereas in Pakki mutton biryani, we cook the marinated mutton first. And then we layer it between the rice. In this method, we do not use raw papaya paste at all. For the reason, we will be cooking the meat well before the layering part.
Usually, any recipes of biryani do involve a series of steps to follow. It indeed includes marination, to cook mutton, to cook rice, layer the cooked mutton and rice and then dum it.
Another important thing that makes the biryani royal and rich in taste is the making of birista.
Birista, particularly, is the most effort indulging process of making as per many people. We were told as a kid that a person who can make a perfect birista is the one who can make anything. And I took that too seriously in my head.
You will always find a big batch of fried onions in my freezer.
Note : You Can Check My Step By Step Process to make Birista For Biryani
Right from chopping to frying, it is an eye keeping procedure. And, if you miss the point of turning off the flame at the right time, you may probably burn the onions.
Meat marination ingredients
Let us get our hands over to the meat marination. The recipe of mutton biryani calls for goat meat (lamb) on bone. Clean and wash it well, then drain all the water, if any.
Then, you need to make a paste of fresh ingredients to gives a nice spicy and tasty punch to the meat. So, assemble peppercorns, cardamoms, cloves, garlic cloves, ginger pieces, coriander leaves and green chilies. Now, grind these all in into a paste.
After that, take thick yoghurt, birista, garam masala powder and ground paste into a bowl, and marinate the mutton pieces into it.
Further, the other elements that we need to make mutton masala base are sliced onions, cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, tomatoes, green chilies.
The spice powders that goes in are red chili powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder.
To boil rice
I have used long grain basmati rice, bay leaves, shah jeera, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, water, ghee and green cardamom (choti elaichi).
Layering the biryani
Indeed, you need some more ingredients here as well. So, gather a stack full of mint leaves, birista, saffron soaked in milk and ghee are perfect enough to go with the layering.
The homemade mutton biryani may seem to be pretty lengthy in process with too many preparations. But trust me, it is very easy to make.
Expert Tips
Most noteworthy here is, always use aged best quality long grain basmati rice. Never ever compromise on this point.
Longer the grains of rice better will be the mutton biryani, both visually as well as in taste. I prefer to use at least 1 year aged Basmati rice for making biryani.
Some people also like to use sella rice as well. Hence you may choose it if you want to. But, the basmati rice is always the winner.
Personally, I love to use a little large than medium sized pieces of a lamb or goat shoulder meat cut.
It gives a nice and tender chunks when cooked perfectly. However, you can use raan (hind leg meat cut) to make mutton biryani.
Secondly, always marinate the meat in masala for atleast 2 hours. I prefer the marination over night. Yes, marination is the soul to any of the biryani recipes except the egg biryani.
Be sure to cook the rice as mentioned, i.e 90 percent which is exact 9 minutes from the point when rice starts boiling on high heat.
Also, do not stir the rice too much while boil as it may break the rice grains. Hence, the result will not be as we want it to be.
Lastly, do not use thin bottom pan, always use heavy bottom pan or handi or dutch oven to make the dish.
For the final dum, always, cook the biryani on high for 5 minutes and them simmer to dum for 15 minutes. This helps in generating steam well cooking the it perfectly each time.
Enough of philosophy for today, I believe! Let’s get started with step by step images for our lip smacking Bombay style mutton biryani recipe.
How to make Mutton Biryani
Step 1 - Preparation and Marination
1. To begin with, first, add all the ingredients mentioned under "to grind to paste" into a blender and blend it to a fine paste.
2. Then, in a large bowl, add ground paste, ¼ cup fried onions, whisked curd, and garam masala powder along with salt.
3. Now, add clean and washed mutton and mix well.
4. Allow the mutton to marinate for at least 2 hours (preferably over night) under refrigeration.
Step 2 - Frying the potatoes
5. Once the mutton is ready to cook, then heat oil in a pan, add potato cubes.
6. Fry the potatoes until golden. Then take them out and set it aside for later use.
Step 3 - Cooking the mutton biryani gravy
7. First, heat oil in a heavy bottom pan or handi.
8. Then, add sliced onions, salt and fry until pink.
9. Once the onions softens, add cinnamon sticks and cumin seeds and cook.
10. Fry everything until onions starts picking up golden colour, do not over brown or burn it.
11. Now, add marinated mutton and sauté on high 5-6 minutes until raw small goes off.
12. Then, add red chilli powder, turmeric and coriander powder and mix. Now, add 2 cups of water, cover and cook the mutton until tender.
This will take approx 50 minutes as I have made it in handi. Do not over cook the mutton at this stage. Keep stirring in between to avoid burning. If water dries up, you may add more.
Note : You can make it pressure cooker as well to save time. Also, make sure, if you are cooking it in pressure cooker, do not add to much water at a time. We need to cook it such that not much water is left in cooked mutton.
13. Now, add tomato slices, fried potatoes and chilies and cook for another 5 minutes.
14.You will see oil layer on the top, and mutton masala has not much water into it. This is the perfect mutton masala for biryani recipe.
Now, carefully scoop out the layer of oil in a bowl and set it aside for later use.
Step 4 - Cooking the rice
15.While the mutton cooks, clean and wash the rice and soak it for 45 minutes.
16. Then, in a large pot, add enough water, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, shajeera (or cumin seeds), cloves, cardamom, star anise, ghee and salt. Bring it to a boil.
17. Once the water starts boling, starin the soaked rice and add into boiling water.
18. Cook the rice until 90 percent done.
Note : Do not over cook or rice will get sticky and will break in biryani. Immediately strain the water and set the rice aside.
Step 5 - To layer the biryani
19. Now, in a large pot in which you want to slow cook or dum the rice and meat, add half the cooked rice as a bottom layer.
20. Then, add the cooked mutton and spread evenly.
21. Sprinkle mint leaves, 1 tablespoon ghee, ½ of the soaked saffron and birista.
22. Then, add the remaining rice over the meat layer evenly.
23. Now, pour remaining ghee, saffron milk and reserved oil that we scooped out from the masala gravy.
24. Finally, put a clean cotton cloth over the top and cover it with the lid putting heavy weight on the top of the lid. Slow cook (dum) the biryani for 20 minutes, first on high flames for 5 minutes and then simmer for 15 minutes.
Once the biryani is done, allow it to rest for 15 minutes. Then carefully dish out the mutton biryani. Serve with raita of your choice.
How to make pakki biryani in the Instant Pot?
Making mutton biryani is Instant pot not at all difficult. But, to make this layered one you need to cook rice on stove top and the, you can simmer it in IP.
As I own 6 quart IP DUO60, when making mutton biryani, I either reduce the recipe to half or ¾ of the below measure.
It is either 500 grams mutton and 2 cups (400 gms) of rice or 750 gms mutton and 3 cups (600 grams) of rice.
1 kg of mutton with 900 grams of rice can be cooked easily in 8 quarts IP.
Follow the exact method of marinating the meat with masalas as mentioned.
You can fry the potatoes either in pan on stove top or sauté it in IP before cooking the mutton. Set it aside.
Then, cook the mutton masala in Instant Pot for 15 minutes on "High Pressure".
Do not add too much water as we will have lot of gravy otherwise to reduce until it reaches required consistency. ½ cup - ¾ cup is good enough to proceed with the pressure cooking.
I usually cook it between 15-17 minutes depending upon the meat cut I use. Shoulder cut meat chunks cooks well in 15 minutes.
Let the pressure release naturally.
Add fried potatoes and tomatoes, and sauté it for 3-4 minutes. If you have lot of water left behind, sautéeing will help in reducing.
Scoop out some oil from the meat and reserve.
Boil the rice up to 90% in large pot on stove top or Induction as mentioned below. Then strain the rice and keep it aside.
In the IP, Cooked mutton masala will be at the base. Sprinkle mint leaves, ½ of the saffron soaked milk and ghee.
Layer the rice evenly on top of the mutton masala. Top the rice with the remaining saffron milk, ghee and also, pour the reserved oil form the mutton masala.
Close the lid to sealing position, press 'Keep Warm' mode on and slow cook it for 30-40 minutes.
For me, the ideal time that works here is 35-40 minutes.
Once cooked, switch off the IP and let the biryani rest for 10 minutes.
Pakki Mutton Biryani in Instant Pot is ready, dish out and serve with raita along the side.
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📖 Recipe
Best Mutton Biryani Recipe
Ingredients
To grind to a paste (for marination)
- ¼ cup Coriander Leaves (tightly packed)
- 4-5 Green Chilies (you may adjust as per preference)
- 16– 18 Garlic Cloves
- 3 inches Ginger Piece
- 1 teaspoon Peppercorns
- 5-6 Cardamom
- 6– 8 Cloves
To marinate the mutton
- 1 cup Thick Yoghurt
- ¼ cup Golden Fried Onions (birista)
- ½ tablespoon Garam Masala Powder
- Salt To Taste
- 1 kilogram Lamb or Goat Meat on bone (Cut in medium sized peices)
For biryani gravy
- 8 tablespoons Vegetable Oil (divided)
- 5 Potatoes (medium, cut in large cubes)
- 2 Onions (large, finely sliced)
- 2 inch Cinnamon Stick
- 2 teaspoons Cumin Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 3-4 teaspoons Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
- 1 tablespoon Coriander Powder
- Water as needed
- 2 Tomatoes (large , sliced )
- 4-5 Green Chilies (slit or sliced)
To cook the rice
- 4 cups Long Grain Basmati Rice
- Water as needed
- 2– 3 Bay Leaves
- 1 ½ inch Cinnamon Sticks
- 1 teaspoon Caraway Seeds (shajeera) or Cumin Seeds
- 3– 4 Cloves
- 5– 6 Green Cardamom
- 1 Star Anise
- 1 tablespoon Ghee
For layering the biryani
- ¼ cup Mint leaves
- 3 tablespoons Ghee
- A generous pinch of saffron soaked in 4 tablespoons of milk
- ⅓ cup caramalised onions or fried onions (Birista)
Instructions
Preparation and marination
- Add all the ingredients mentioned under "masalas to grind to paste" into a blender. Blend everything together to a fine paste.
- In a large bowl, add ground masala paste, ¼ cup birista, whisked yogurt and garam masala powder along with salt.
- Add clean and washed mutton and mix well. Allow the mutton to marinate for atleast 2 hours under refrigeration. (preferable - over night)
- Clean and wash biryani rice and soak it for 45 minutes. Strain the rice and set it aside.
Making the biryani gravy
- Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan, add potato cubes. Fry the potatoes until golden. Take them out and set it aside.
- Heat reamining oil in a handi. Then, add sliced onions, salt and fry until pink and soft. Add cinnamon sticks and cumin seeds and cook.
- Further, fry until the onions starts picking up golden colour, do not over brown or burn it.
- Add marinated mutton and saute on high 5-6 minutes until raw small goes off.
- Add turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder and mix.
- Add 2 cups of water, cover and cook the mutton until tender. Keep stirring at regular intervals. If water dries up, you may add more.
- Add tomato slices, fried potatoes and chilies and cook for another 6-8 minutes.
- Carefully scoop out the layer of oil in a bowl and set it aside for later use.
Cook the biryani rice
- In a large pot, add enough water, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, shajeera (or cumin seeds), cloves, cardamom, star anise, ghee and salt. Bring it to a boil.
- Once the water starts boling, strain the soaked rice and add into boiling water.
- Cook the rice until 90 percent done. Immediately strain the water and set the rice aside.
Layer and slow cook (dum) the biryani
- In a large pot in which you want to dum (slow cook) the biryani, add half the cooked rice as a bottom layer.
- Add cooked mutton masala and spread evenly.
- Sprinkle mint leaves, 1 tablespoon ghee, ½ of the soaked saffron and birista on the mutton.
- Add the remaining rice over the mutton layer evenly.
- Add remaining ghee, saffron milk and reserved oil that we scooped out from the mutton masala.
- Put a clean cotton cloth over the top and cover it with the lid putting heavy weight on the top of the lid.
- Dum the mutton biryani for 20 minutes, first on high flames for 5 minutes and then simmer for 15 minutes.
- Let it to rest for 15 minutes.
- Carefully dish it out. Serve steaming hot biryani with raita of your choice.
Notes
- You can choose to skip potatoes if you do not like or prefer it.
- I have made biryani masala gravy in a pot, but you can make it in pressure cooker as well. Pressure cooking will save the time.
- If you are making masala in pressure cooker, then do not add too much water as it will make watery masala base for the biryani. ¾ to 1 cup of water is good enough to pressure cook the mutton. Pressure cook it upto 2-3 whistles only. Mutton will further be cooking with rice.
- Also, add tomatoes, fried potatoes and chilies after the mutton is pressure cooked for 2 whistles. Cook the biryani gravy for 5-6 minutes (without the lid).
Shabari
Loved the recipe. For 2 kg mutton and rice, should I just double the ingredients ?
Farrukh Aziz
Hi Shabari,
Thanks you :)! Yes, double the ingredients for 2kgs Mutton.
Anis
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe! It was perfect!
AA
Muhammad Didar
Hi Farrukh
I need to feed about 8 people. If I use 2kg of meat, do I just simply double everything you advised, included the amount of spices, etc? Btw, I'm just learning how to cook and I tried your recipe for the first time cooking a biriyani last week, and it not only tasted great, but I found it fun! Thank-you.
Also, my rice turned out too soft last week. Why did that happen? What did I do wrong?
Francis Dsouza
Hi Farrukh,
I prepared your very superb yummy and delicious mutton biryani.
Biryani turned out great and awesome. Wow. Very very tasty and lip licking.
The bestest of the best Mumbai mutton biryani I've ever had.
Your biryani recipe is a keepsake for lifetime.
I will religiously only follow your great recipes everytime I prepare mutton biryani.
Please post a nice spicy rich thick gravy mutton masala recipe in restaurant style.
Really thick gravy, the ones you get in Mumbai restaurants.
Please also post a mutton chop recipe in rich thick green masala and many more mutton and chicken recipes.
Thanks for sharing such a good and wonderful recipe.
Regards,
Francis Dsouza.
Farrukh Aziz
Hello Francis,
Thank you very much for your lovely feedback. 🙂
Surely, will be posting many more recipes in coming days.
Regards,
Farrukh
Naved
Love your recipes and the traditional detail you go into! Each step has an impact on the end result - so the more complex, the greater the outcome!
Can I ask for two metrics -
1) When measuring garlic and ginger, would appreciate tspn or Tbsp as I have seen smaller cloves of garlic and slimmer ginger LOL
2) Pressure cooker timing - can you please share in mins as opposed to whistles.
I fire it up and turn the flame low to maintain pressure - am I wrong?
Thank you immensely for being so generous with these culinary gems !
Naved
Sorry for the edit!
I'm going to make 2 kg of mutton - the garlic and ginger appear to be way more than I would normally use - is this correct? 32-36 cloves garlic = approx 10 tbsp? Thanks Farrukh
Farrukh Aziz
Hi Naved,
Here at our place 16-18 garlic cloves gives approx 2 tablespoons of paste, so according to the size of garlic cloves you get, you can adjust the number.So, you can use the number cloves that shall give you 4 tablespoons of paste approx for 2 kgs of mutton. Same is the case for ginger as well. I hope this helps.
Athel
It is one of the best Biryani recipes I have ever tried... My husband and kids really loved it
Farrukh Aziz
Thank you very much Athel, I am glad everyone at your home loved this biryani 🙂
Kavita
I made mutton(lamb) biryani using this recipe today... It was one of the best I've made. I used Biryani masala instead of garam masala to add a bit more flavour...
Everyone at home loved it... Thanks for sharing!!!
Farrukh Aziz
Hello Kavita,
You are welcome and thank you so much 🙂
I am glad you loved the recipe and everyone loved it at home.
Kavita
Does the recipe require any changes while making chicken biryani?
Farrukh Aziz
Hi Kavita,
The only change it should have is the cooking time as chicken in masala takes less time to cook.rest all with be the same.
However, here is one chicken biryani you may wanna try..https://www.cubesnjuliennes.com/chicken-biryani-recipe/
Lenushka
This is an absolutely amazing recipe. Hats off to you! I made the biryani for Eid today (during coronavirus lockdown) and it was superb! This is the only biryani I've made in my life and got wonderful comments from the entire family, with everyone taking seconds and even thirds.
Thank you so much!
Jose
You are a Great Chef Thank you for you recipe in details and the lipsmacking images.
Abhishek Basak
I have get to know how I can prepare Mutton Biriyani at my home.....It will really help me to make biriyani in home style....Thank you for sharing this recipe....
Naved H Noorani
AMAZING! This is the BEST recipe I have found!
Well done Farrukh! You have done a fabulous job explaining the method of cooking - this is where the magic happens and the spices get to work. In particular, I like that you add tomatoes at a later stage. I have long believed that in most recipes adding them early destroys the flavour and acidity.
Thank you for sharing generously!
Nithya
Hello!
Can we skip the potatoes or reduce the number maybe?
Farrukh Aziz
Hi,
Apologies for the delayed reply,
yes, sure, you can reduce the number as well as skip them totally.
Jiyaan
Awesome I made this yesterday.... I'm really new for cooking and my momz food so yummy but I always try to find new recipes rather than we know and I'm more in to Thai cuisine but tried this out and it was truly yummy...Thanks alot for sharing this yummilicious recipe....
Jiyaan
Awesome,I prepared this yesterday....I'm actually new for cooking and my momz food so yummy but I find different recipes rather than we know and I'm more in to Thai cuisine but wanted to try this and was superb and thanks alot for sharing this yummilicious recipe...
Wahida
Tried this recipe today. Amazing delicious. Easy. Thank you.
Farrukh Aziz
Thank you very much Wahida 🙂
Perscis
How many whistles to wait for if cooking in pressure cooker ?
Farrukh Aziz
Apologies for the delayed reply Percis. 3 whistles on high flame and then 6-7 minutes on low flame is what I always follow for perfectly cooked goat meat for biryani.Hope this helps 🙂
Sneha
In total how many whistles n do u add the tomatoes and fried potatoes in the cooker too?? N if the mutton is cooked in the pressure cooker would it not be mushy once u try to give dum?? Please reply n thank u in advance
Farrukh Aziz
Sneha, Apologies for the delayed reply. It depends on what meat cut are you using to make biryani. Shoulder cut cooks faster compared to hind leg (raan cut), so cooking time and whistle depends on that. As I use shoulder cut, 2-3 whistles on high plus 3-5 minutes on low is the time that I usually go for. Yes, I do add tomatoes in cooker too. And add potatoes later to the mutton and cook for few minutes without whistling the cooker to avoid getting it mushy. Anyway it will further cook in dum process. Hope this helps.
Regards
Mumtaz
Thank you....thank you.....thank you!! I am so happy to find this recipe. The biryani came out awesome....mostly due to the intricate details given by you. I am so grateful for the rice part. All the best!! Please continue to churn out such wonderful recipes.
Farrukh Aziz
Hi Mumtaz,
You are always welcome. I am really glad to know it turned perfect. This mutton biryani recipe is our family favourite recipe since years and never disappoint us or our guests 🙂
store
Amazing recipes I really love to read this content also I want to come after few days
Laveena
I'm going to try this recipe today. Atpresnt I'm out of garam masala powder, can I use biryani masala instead.
Farrukh Aziz
Hi Laveena,
You can use it. 🙂
Laveena
Hi thank you for your wonderful recipe..it was very very tasty..now onwards I'll use this recipe for mutton biryani..do share some traditional Muslim dishes please. Thank you😊
Farrukh Aziz
Hello Laveen,
Thank you so much. Am extremely happy to know that you loved it. Sure, will be sharing many more recipes soon InShaaAllah 🙂
Have great day!
Megan Joe
Fantastic mutton biryani and it came out lovely. Thank you for detailed recipe Farrukh 🙂
Mehnaaz Shaikh
I must say the recipe needs lots of patience and is a long cooking process. But the results are worth the effort. Indeed the best mutton biryani recipe I have ever tried. Thank you for sharing this.
Annette
I tried this recipe today and my family really loved it. I found it a bit laborious but worth it. I have bookmarked .
Farrukh Aziz
Thank you Anette,
Yes, I agree, it is bit laborious, but worth the effort. I am glad you liked it 🙂
Azim
Ambrosial recipe... Mouthwatering!!!
Sana Firdaus
Superrr yummy recipe....just loved it😋😋😋
Nalini Mathur
I love the way you post recipes and steps. Biryani looks droolsome. Thanks for this biryani recipe as mutton biryani is my favourite.
Farrukh Aziz
Thank you very much Nalinia, I am glad you loved the recipe and the post. Do make it, I am sure you will this mutton biryani recipe