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Lamb Birria

Lamb Birria

Winter 2023

By: Lindsay Guscott

Birria is a chili-spiked stew from Jalisco, Mexico, where it is traditionally made with goat. Lamb is used here, but you could also swap in beef short ribs. We like it in cheesy quesabirrias with a rich consommé for dipping, but you could break the braised meat into larger chunks, cover it with consommé and serve it as a family-style stew with tortilla chips, cilantro, onions and lime wedges. 

Serves 6 to 8

LAMB AND CONSOMMÉ
6 medium guajillo chilies, stemmed, seeded
6 arbol chilies, stemmed, seeded
2 medium cascabel chilies, stemmed, seeded
1 corn tortilla
5 lb (2.27 kg) bone-in lamb shoulder
5 tsp (25 mL) fine sea salt, plus more to taste
1 tbsp (15 mL) lard or canola oil
1 white onion, roughly chopped
10 cloves garlic, peeled, lightly smashed
2 tsp (10 mL) dried oregano, preferably Mexican
1 tsp (5 mL) whole black peppercorns
2 tsp (10 mL) cumin seeds
1 can (398 mL) diced Italian tomatoes, preferrably Mutti Polpa
2-inch (5-cm) knob ginger, sliced
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs thyme
4 to 5 cups (1 to 1.25 L) water
1 tbsp (15 mL) cider vinegar

QUESABIRRIAS
20 to 24 corn tortillas
1 ball (300 g) Oaxaca cheese or mozzarella, grated, about 3 cups (750 mL)
1 cup (250 mL) roughly chopped cilantro
3/4 cup (175 mL) finely chopped white onion
Lime wedges, to serve

1. Arrange rack in centre of oven. Preheat to 325°F (163°C).

2. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Dry-toast chilies in two batches until slightly puffed, about 30 seconds. (Be careful not to burn, as this will give them a bitter note.) Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.

3. Add 1 corn tortilla to pot and cook, flipping every 10 to 20 seconds, until crisp but still pale, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl with chilies. Let cool slightly, then break into bite-size pieces.

4. Pat lamb dry with paper towel. Season with salt. Heat lard or oil in the Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add lamb, fat-cap side down. Sear on all sides, until deep golden-brown, about 5 to 7 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate.

5. Add onion, garlic, oregano, peppercorns and cumin seeds. Stir constantly, scrapping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot, until onions have softened slightly, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, reserved chilies and tortilla, ginger, bay leaf and thyme to pot. Position lamb overtop, then add enough water to come two thirds of the way up the sides of lamb, 4 to 5 cups (1 to 1.25 L). Bring to a boil then cover and transfer to oven.

6. Cook until lamb is very tender and shreds easily when twisted with a fork, about 31/2 hours. Transfer lamb to a roasting pan or large heatproof bowl to cool, reserving braising liquid (aka consommé).

7. Strain consommé through a colander (not a fine-mesh sieve) into a large bowl, discarding solids—you should have about 4 cups (1 L). Using a ladle, skim and discard as much fat as possible, then stir in vinegar.

8. Shred meat, discarding any large chunks of fat, gristle and connective tissue—you should have 5 to 6 cups (1.25 to 1.5 L). Place in a bowl and pour 1 cup (250 mL) consommé overtop, stirring to combine. Season with salt to taste. Reserve remaining consommé and keep warm.

9. For the quesabirrias, lightly grease then heat either an electric nonstick griddle to 400°F (204°C) or a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Working in batches, dip tortillas in reserved consommé then transfer to griddle or skillet. Add roughly 3 to 4 tbsp (45 to 60 mL) meat and 2 tbsp (30 mL) cheese on one side of tortilla. Fold the other half overtop. Cook until tortilla is slightly crisp and cheese is melted, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a large platter. Divide consommé between several small bowls. Serve birria with cilantro, onion and lime wedges.

Serves 6 to 8

What to Serve

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