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Central Mexican · Dinner

Lamb barbacoa

Hidalgo-informed lamb shoulder steamed slowly over chickpea-rice consommé with toasted avocado leaves, then served in tortillas with its broth and salsa borracha.

About 14 hr 25 minTotal
About 6 hr 5 minActive
$$$Cost
AdvancedDifficulty
Makes 8 servings
Banana-leaf-wrapped lamb barbacoa pulled into large tender pieces beside chickpea-rice consommé, tortillas, onion, cilantro, and lime.

Equipment

  • Use another sturdy metal roaster; transfer the drippings if it is not stovetop-safe.

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 8 servings

  • 5 pounds bone-in lamb shoulder, cut into 3 or 4 large pieces
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
  • 6 dried culinary Mexican avocado leaves
  • 2 large banana leaves, thawed if frozen
  • 1 white onion, quartered
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 1 large carrot, cut into chunks
  • 1/2 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained
  • 1/3 cup long-grain white rice
  • 8 cups water
  • 2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
  • 24 warm corn tortillas
  • 1 cup diced white onion
  • 1 cup chopped cilantro
  • 4 limes, cut into wedges
  • 1 cup salsa borracha

Instructions

  1. Season lamb with 1 1/2 tablespoons salt and refrigerate uncovered 8 to 12 hours. Toast avocado leaves briefly until aromatic. Pass banana leaves over heat until glossy and pliable.

  2. Heat oven to 300°F. Put quartered onion, garlic, carrot, chickpeas, rice, guajillos, oregano, remaining salt, and water in a . Set a sturdy rack above the liquid.

  3. Line the rack with banana leaf, add lamb and avocado leaves, and fold the leaf over the meat. Seal the vessel with parchment, foil, and a tight lid if available; lamb must steam without sitting in broth.

  4. Cook until lamb separates from the bone, 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours. Keep sealed for the first 4 hours; add boiling water only if the consommé is drying out.

  5. Rest sealed 20 minutes. Strain and defat the consommé, returning chickpeas and rice if desired. Discard bones and leaves, pull lamb into large pieces, and serve with consommé, tortillas, diced onion, cilantro, lime, and salsa borracha.

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