oaxacan lamb barbacoa
I absolutely love British style roast lamb, but this recipe converted me to preferring it a different way. Cooked low and slow until it falls apart with the softest of touches, the perfect level of sweet, spice and sour, it really is a truly delicious way of preparing lamb.
The secret ingredient here is the oranges which, as well as giving a tonne of flavour, actually tenderise the meat as it cooks. You also want to make sure you get the right chillies so that they give off that wonderful rich, smokey flavour that goes so well with the lamb.
This is the perfect recipe to make in bulk at the weekend, then use for tacos throughout the week. Serve with some pickled red onions and coriander, and you’re good to go.
for the barbacoa
shoulder or leg of lamb (2kg approx)
250ml stock (chicken or vegetable)
2 large onions
4 large oranges
200g chipotle in adobo
6 garlic cloves
2-4 dried ancho chillis (or 1-2 tsp ancho chilli flakes)
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp dried parsley
2 tsp salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp honey
method
Start by scoring the lamb and seasoning with a little salt and black pepper.
Sear the lamb in a hot pan to slightly brown the outside.
Place in a dutch oven or slow cooker.
Slice your onions and place them around the lamb.
Squeeze the juice of the 4 oranges into a separate bowl and place the peel of 2 of them around the lamb.
To the bowl with the orange juice, add the salt, herbs, spices, garlic, honey, vinegar and chillis and blend it all together to make a paste (you can add these ingredients to the lamb without blending if you want to save time, however, making the paste will help the meat absorb all the flavours).
Pour this paste all over the lamb and then add the stock.
Cook for 4-5 hours at 155c, or for 8 hours on the low setting of your slow cooker. You want to cook it until the meat falls apart when you run a fork across it, and the bone can be pulled out clean.
Remove the meat from your pot and chop using a cleaver (or, shred using 2 forks).
Mix the meat back into all the liquids to serve, and eat however you like. This goes perfectly over rice, or as a filling for tacos. Just add some pickled red onions, coriander and a little sour cream.
Once it’s cooled, you can chuck it in the fridge and reheat it at any point over the next few days.
