Mexican Lamb Birria Recipes

BIRRIA DE BORREGO (MEXICAN LAMB STEW) RECIPE - (4.2/5)

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 392°F. Place lamb onto a roasting tray and brown for 20 minutes. In the mean time bring the stock to the boil and peel / slice onion and garlic. When browned, add lamb to the stock pot, along with garlic and onion and bring back to the boil. Skim any scum that floats to the surface, then simmer rapidly for the next hour / hour and a half, or until the meat and marrow can easily be removed from the bone. Meanwhile, heat a skillet over a medium heat. When hot, add the ancho, chipotle and guajillo chillies whole, and toast for several minutes until they release their aroma. Next remove stalks and seeds, and submerge chillies in the boiled water to soften for 20 minutes. It is advisable to wear gloves when doing this, and to avoid touching your eyes, nose, genitals, etc. as this will burn! Next, reduce chillies & their water to a pulp in the bowl of a food processor, and then strain through a fine sieve, discarding solids. When your broth is done, strain into a clean pan. Discard onion, garlic and bones (you can use a chopstick to poke out any tasty marrow) and shred meat with your fingers before adding back into the stock. Next add your chilli paste and all remaining ingredients, before seasoning well with salt and pepper and simmering for a further hour to allow flavours to develop and meld. Skim fat from the surface. Finally, remove from heat and discard bay leaves and herb stalks. Using a slotted spoon remove and divide meat between bowls, then ladle the liquid over. Garnish with finely chopped onion and coriander, and serve with guacamole, tortillas and if you want to be a real badass - extra hot sauce. I used Mellow Habanero's Smoky Chipotle Sauce, which added great umami to the dish. Not just a rich and delicious stew, you can also fold the soft braised meats up in your tortillas for seriously sublime tacos!

BRAISED GOAT BIRRIA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275°F. Bring ancho chiles and 4 cups water to a boil over medium-high. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Meanwhile, toast peanuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Let cool.
• Toast cumin seeds and peppercorns in a dry small skillet, tossing occasionally, until very fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool, then finely grind in spice mill or with mortar and pestle with garlic powder and cinnamon.
• Purée ancho chiles and soaking liquid, peanuts, spice mixture, and chocolate in a blender until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a Dutch oven or other large heavy pot, reserving any solids. Return solids in sieve to blender and add 3 cups water. Process until smooth and strain back into Dutch oven; discard any solids.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Season meat generously with salt. Cook, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 12-15 minutes total. Carefully add meat to Dutch oven and add bay leaves. Bring liquid to a simmer over medium-high. As soon as it just begins to bubble, lower heat, cover pan tightly with foil, then lid. Braise meat until meat shrinks off of bones and is fork-tender, 3-3 1/2 hours (check periodically to make sure liquid is at a gentle simmer).
• Meanwhile, purée chiles de árbol, tomatoes, broth, and oregano in a clean blender until smooth. Strain through clean sieve into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook 10 minutes to let flavors meld. Season with salt; keep sauce warm.
• Increase oven to 400°F. Let meat cool, uncovered, in braising liquid 30 minutes. Transfer meat to a rimmed baking sheet and roast until edges begin to brown, 13-17 minutes. Pull or slice meat into servings. Divide among shallow bowls along with tomato-chile sauce.
• Serve meat with onion, cilantro, lime wedges, and tortillas alongside.

MEXICAN BIRRIA RECIPE (GOAT OR BEEF STEW)

Steps:

• Heat a large pan to medium heat and add the dried peppers. Dry toast them in the hot pan 1-2 minutes per side, until the skins darken.
• Remove from heat and add the toasted peppers to a large bowl. Cover with hot water and steep 20 minutes, or until softened.
• While the peppers are rehydrating, heat the olive oil in the same pan to medium heat.
• Add the onion and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes to soften.
• Add the garlic and cook another 1 minute, stirring.
• Add the cooked onion, tomatoes and garlic to a food processor.
• Remove the softened chilies and add to the food processor, but reserve the soaking liquid.
• Add the seasonings to the food processor along with the vinegar and 1 cup beef stock. Process until smooth. It should be fairly thick. You can strain if you'd like for a smoother sauce. See the RECIPE NOTES below.
• Cut the lamb (or beef) into large chunks and add to a large bowl.
• Pour the birria sauce over them and rub it into the meat. Cover and marinate the meat in the refrigerator for 2 hours minimum. Overnight is better.
• When you're ready to cook, add the meat with all of the marinade, the chopped roasted tomatoes and remaining 3 cups beef broth to a large pot. Cover and cook at medium heat for 3 hours, or until the meat is fork tender and easy to shred. Add more beef stock or some of the reserved soaking liquid if needed for a soupier birria.
• Serve the braised birria into bowls as a soup, or shred the meat and serve it up onto tortillas as birria tacos, with the reserved liquid consome from the pot as a side soup/broth.