Lamb Barbacoa
Mains
Ingredients
3 pasilla chiles
3 guajillo chiles
Neutral oil, for the pan
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
1 Roma tomato, halved
1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
2 teaspoons oregano (preferably Mexican)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
One (4- to 5-pound) bone-in lamb shoulder roast
3 to 5 frozen whole banana leaves (optional)
1/2 cup dried avocado leaves (optional; see Tip)
12 ounces lager
Corn tortillas, chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems and lime wedges
Finely minced yellow onion, rinsed in cold water
Directions
Prepare the lamb marinade: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Using scissors, snip the tops off all the dried chiles and then cut along the length of one side. Open the flaps like a book, shake out the seeds and pick out any veins stuck to the pepper.
Heat a skillet over medium until hot, then lay the flattened chiles down and toast until fragrant, about 15 seconds per side. Transfer to a bowl, cover with boiling water and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Let soak for 30 minutes.
Heat the broiler. Lightly oil the bottom of a foil-lined sheet pan and add the onion, tomato and garlic, cut sides down. Broil until charred in spots and the tomato softens, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a blender.
Drain the chiles, reserving 1 cup soaking liquid, and add them to the blender. Add the vinegar, salt, oregano, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves and allspice; blend until smooth. If it is too thick, add splashes of chile soaking liquid if needed.
Marinate the lamb: Line a large roasting pan with the banana leaves (if using), completely covering the bottom and leaving a few inches of overhang on all sides. Pat the lamb dry and place in the roasting dish. Using the tip of a sharp knife, deeply score the meat all over with a crosshatch pattern. Slather the marinade over the lamb, massaging it into the crevices from scoring the meat. Fold the banana leaves over the lamb. If not using banana leaves, wrap the meat with plastic wrap. Transfer to the refrigerator to marinate for at least 12 hours and up to 24.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Uncover the lamb, add the avocado leaves on top of the lamb (if using), and pour the beer into the pan. Rewrap the meat with the banana leaves, cover it tightly with foil, and place it on a large sheet tray. Roast until the lamb easily pulls apart when poked with a fork, 4 to 4 ½ hours.
Let lamb rest for at least 30 minutes before picking off the bone into bite-size pieces, tossing in some of the broth at the bottom of the pan to moisten as desired.
Serve with tortillas, onions, cilantro and lime wedges. Serve any remaining broth at the bottom of the pan alongside for dipping. Barbacoa should be stored in the cooking liquid and can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or kept in the freezer for up to 3 months.