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Tacos de barbacoa de borrego
Makes 16 to 20 tacos.
Ingredients
- 2 dried ancho chiles (about 1 ounce), wiped clean, stemmed, seeded, and deveined
- 2 dried guajillo chiles (about Y2 ounce), wiped clean, stemmed, slit open, seeded, and deveined
- 4 dried arbol chiles (about 1 ounce), wiped clean and stemmed (optional)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, or more to taste
- 5 large garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 (2.5-pound) boneless lamb shoulder roast
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Preheat a large pan over medium-low heat. Toast the ancho, guajillo, and arbol chiles, turning them over and pressing down on them with tongs frequently, until the anchos and guajillos are fragrant, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, and the arbol chiles have browned all over with some dark spots, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Soak the chiles in enough cold water to cover until they’re soft, about 20 minutes. Drain, discarding the water.
- Blend the chiles with the vinegar, the garlic, cumin, oregano, cloves, salt, and 1/2 cup of fresh water in a blender to form a very smooth puree, at least 3 minutes.
- Put the lamb in a deep baking dish or a Dutch oven just large enough to hold it, then rub the adobo all over the meat and pour any remaining adobo over it. Swish 1/4 cup water in the blender and add it to the pot. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid or two layers of heavy-duty foil. Cook in the oven, basting occasionally, until the meat is fork-tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
- Coarsely shred the meat with tongs and return it to the sauce in the Dutch oven. Season to taste with more vinegar and salt.
Do ahead: The saucy shredded lamb keeps in the fridge for up to three days or in the freezer for up to one month.
Serve alongside 16 to 20 warm corn tortillas and lime wedges and top with chopped white onion, chopped cilantro, and fried chile salsa or pico de gallo with lemon zest.
Reference
- Tacos, Tortas And Tamales, by Roberto Santibañez