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Georgia

Telavi-Style Kakhetian Lamb Chakapuli with Green Plums and Tarragon

Simmer bone-in lamb with sour green plums, Kakhetian white wine, spring onion and fresh tarragon for a fragrant Georgian chakapuli

Georgian home recipeGeorgian dish
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A bowl of bone-in lamb and green plums in a fresh herb and white-wine broth.
Yield6 portions
Serving sizeOne bowl with a bone-in lamb piece and a share of plum-herb broth
DifficultyModerate; simmer gently and keep raw lamb separate from ready-to-eat foods
Dietary classificationContains lamb; wine may contain sulfites. Check stock and tkemali labels for additional allergens.
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The dish

About Telavi-Style Kakhetian Lamb Chakapuli with Green Plums and Tarragon

Chakapuli is a Georgian spring lamb stew known for its sour green plums, wine and fresh herbs, especially tarragon. This measured home variation uses bone-in shoulder pieces and a little optional lamb tail fat for a fuller broth. It is set in a Kakhetian, Telavi context, without claiming to be a historic or exclusive Telavi formula.

The green plums bring acidity as they soften in the pot. Spring onion, garlic, dry white wine and a large amount of tarragon build the broth's aroma. If fresh sour plums are unavailable, use unsweetened green tkemali sauce and add it near the end so its acidity stays bright. Use a heavy non-reactive pot and keep the stew at a quiet simmer rather than a rolling boil.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 1.5 kgbone-in lamb shoulder chops or ribs, 6 similar pieces, excess firm outer fat trimmed
  • 25 glamb tail fat, finely diced, optional; omit if unavailable
  • 300 gsour green cherry plums, halved and pitted; or unsweetened green tkemali sauce, added late
  • 300 gspring onions, white and green parts sliced
  • 300 mldry Kakhetian white wine, such as Rkatsiteli if available
  • 150 mlhot water or unsalted lamb stock
  • 18 ggarlic, thinly sliced
  • 60 gfresh tarragon, leaves and tender stems coarsely chopped
  • 35 gfresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
  • 25 gflat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
  • 15 gfresh dill, coarsely chopped
  • 2green chilies, split lengthwise, optional
  • 9 gfine salt; start with 7 g if the stock or tkemali is salty
  • 1 gfreshly ground black pepper
Method

Method

  1. Prepare the lamb and produce. Keep raw lamb refrigerated at 4 °C or below and separate from ready-to-eat foods. Trim and portion the bone-in cuts. Wash and sanitize the board, knife and hands after raw-meat contact. Halve and pit the plums, slice the spring onions and garlic, and chop the herbs.

  2. Build the pot. Render the optional diced lamb tail fat gently in a heavy non-reactive pot. Add the spring onion and garlic and cook briefly until fragrant, without browning. Layer in the lamb, fresh plums, chilies, salt, pepper and about half of the herbs. Pour in the wine and hot water or stock. Cover and bring to a gentle simmer; avoid vigorous stirring.

  3. Braise until tender. Simmer covered for about 95–105 minutes, checking occasionally that the liquid is barely bubbling; add a splash of hot water if the pot is getting dry. If using tkemali sauce instead of fresh plums, stir it in for the final 15 minutes. Add the remaining herbs near the end. Check that the thickest lamb meat reaches at least 63 °C and rests for at least 3 minutes; continue the gentle simmer if needed for tenderness.

  4. Rest and serve. Take the pot off the heat, cover and rest for 10 minutes. Taste the broth and adjust the salt if needed. Serve hot with a bone-in lamb piece and plenty of tart herb broth in each bowl.

Excerpt

Excerpt

Bone-in lamb simmers gently with sour green plums, dry Kakhetian white wine and spring onion, then finishes with a generous handful of tarragon and herbs. Serve the tart, fragrant broth hot with bread.

Practical guidance

Success points

  • Choose six similar bone-in lamb shoulder chops or ribs so they cook at a similar pace.
  • Keep raw lamb refrigerated at 4 °C or below and clean hands, tools and surfaces after handling it.
  • Simmer gently, covered, until the meat is tender; avoid vigorous stirring that can break the plums and herbs apart.
  • Add tkemali sauce only for the final 15 minutes if using it instead of fresh green plums.
  • Add the remaining fresh herbs near the end. Check the thickest lamb meat reaches at least 63 °C and rests for at least 3 minutes; continue simmering for tenderness as needed.
Practical guidance

Practical guidance

  • Fresh green plums vary in tartness. Taste the finished broth before adjusting the salt; if it needs more acidity, stir in a little extra unsweetened tkemali.
  • If the lamb is still firm after the stated braising time, keep it covered at a gentle simmer and check every 10–15 minutes. Tenderness depends on the cut and the size of the pieces.
  • Lamb tail fat is optional. If omitting it, start with a teaspoon of neutral oil only if the pot needs help softening the spring onion.
  • Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours at 4 °C or below, use within 3–4 days and reheat throughout to 74 °C.
Nutrition per serving

Nutrition per serving

  • Serving size: One-sixth of the pot, including a bone-in lamb portion and broth
  • Calories: About 580 kcal
  • Carbohydrate: About 15 g
  • Protein: About 35 g
  • Fat: About 43 g
  • Dietary fibre: About 3 g
  • Sodium: About 650 mg

These provisional estimates assume six portions, a 70% edible fraction for bone-in lamb shoulder, the optional 25 g lamb tail fat, sour plums, wine, spring onions, garlic and herbs, with most cooking liquid consumed. Actual lamb trim and edible yield, whether tail fat is used, the tkemali or stock label and the amount of broth eaten can change the values.

Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Contains lamb. Wine may contain sulfites. Check stock and tkemali labels for celery, gluten or other allergens and cross-contact information. Keep raw lamb and its utensils away from ready-to-eat foods. Cook the lamb to at least 63 °C and allow a 3-minute rest; the covered braise will continue until the meat is tender. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours at 4 °C or below.

To finish

To finish

  • Serve hot with Georgian bread to catch the sour, aromatic broth.
  • Offer fresh herbs and sliced spring onion at the table for a bright finish.
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