Rabbit Stew Description and Distinguishing Features of the Product: Tavşanlı Güveci (also known as Tavşanlı Göveci) is a traditional dish prepared by baking meat from 2-year-old male goat or beef ribs and hind leg cuts in a clay pot. The pot’s base is lightly sprinkled with salt, and the cooking is done in a brick oven. The dish can be made using just the meat, or after partially cooking the meat, ingredients such as tomatoes, peppers, black pepper, red pepper, bone broth, and tomato paste may be added. The cooking vessel used for Tavşanlı Güveci is crafted by shaping clay mud into different forms and treating it with various processes before firing. The interior surface of the baked clay pot is coated with a food-safe glaze. Prior to its first use, the pot’s interior is greased with animal fat and cured at 110-120℃ for 1 to 2 hours. The oven used to cook Tavşanlı Güveci (also called Tavşanlı Göveci) is fully lined with firebricks on its bottom and inner walls. The base of the oven measures between 2 and 2.25 meters in width, has a semi-conical shape, and stands 115 to 125 cm tall. The underside of the firebrick base is insulated with either glass wool or glass fragments. The origins of Tavşanlı Güveci trace back to ancient times, making it an important part of the culinary heritage of the Tavşanlı district. Due to this deep-rooted history, the dish holds a geographical significance tied to the fame of Tavşanlı Güveci. Production Method: In the early morning, knot-free oak wood is burned to heat the clay pot oven. Within about one hour, the oak wood turns into glowing embers, which are then pushed to the left side of the oven. The oven, constructed from firebricks, has its base covered with glass pieces before laying the firebricks to help retain heat effectively. Its interior is shaped like a hemisphere, with the highest point measuring approximately 115-125 cm. This oven is specially designed for baking in clay pots. Since Tavşanlı Güveci (or Tavşanlı Göveci) requires slow cooking at a controlled temperature, the oven's dome is kept tall. The fire is started in the center of the oven, with ash and embers moved to the right side. Once heated, the clay pots are placed on the right side while ash and embers remain on the opposite side. Before beginning the meat preparation, salt is sprinkled inside the clay pot. For making Tavşanlı Güveci / Tavşanlı Göveci, meat from 2-year-old male goats or beef raised within the designated geographical area is used. If the goat weighs between 20-25 kg, every part of the carcass is utilized. Beef is sourced from the front leg and neck sections. Out of 2 kg of meat, approximately 1700 grams consist of lean meat and 300 grams of internal fat. Both bone-in and boneless cuts are suitable for the dish. Bone-in goat meat is cut into 5-7 cm pieces (weighing 100-130 g), placed into the clay pot with salt at the bottom, and partially cooked for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, the clay pot is removed from the oven, and ingredients such as tomatoes, peppers, black pepper, red pepper, bone broth, and pepper paste are added. The pot’s top is covered with foil, then returned to the oven to bake for around 3 hours. The oven door remains closed during this entire period. Cooking times may vary depending on the meat’s characteristics. After 3 hours, the dish is checked for readiness, taken out of the oven, and served hot. Since the oven retains heat until the following day, bones from the slaughtered animal are placed in a container and kept inside overnight. The resulting bone broth is then used for preparing Tavşanlı Güveci / Tavşanlı Göveci the next day.