Lamb in Chile Broth
Lamb in Chile Broth
BirriaWhen I'm in Guadalajara, it's a must to visit the immense Mercado Libertad. It's an amazing place with everything for sale from fresh produce and foods of all kinds to clothing, handicrafts, and jewelry. At one of the numerous fondas (food stalls) is where I first ate birria, a rustic stew and one of the great specialties of the state of Jalisco. The soupy broth and shredded stewed lamb or other meat is served with lime wedges, salsa, and warm tortillas. The condiments are essential to authentic flavor of the dish. This recipe is a modern adaptation of the original pit-cooked meat. The meat needs to marinate overnight, so start one day ahead. Reheating the stew makes it taste even better.
Ingrediënten
Makes 4 servings
- 4 meaty lamb shanks about 3 pounds, trimmed of all excess fat
- 4 ancho chiles
- 4 guajillo chiles
- 4 large garlic cloves peeled
- 4 medium plum tomatoes
- 1½ teaspoon dried oregano Mexican variety preferred, crumbled
- ¾ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 whole cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tequila
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2½ cups canned fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 2 limes cut into wedges
- Fresh Salsa Mexicana or purchased salsa
- 8 corn or flour tortillas
Instructies
- Put the lamb shanks in a large oven casserole dish or roasting pan with a lid.
- Set aside.
- In a dry skillet, over medium heat, toast the chiles, turning, until fragrant, about 20 seconds.
- Cut the chiles open and remove the seeds.
- Cut or tear the chiles into pieces and put in a bowl.
- Cover with hot water and soak for about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, on a large nonstick skillet, over medium heat, pan-roast the garlic and tomatoes, turning, until slightly soft and charred in spots, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a blender.
- In the same skillet, toast the oregano and cumin seeds until aromatic, about 20 seconds.
- Add to the blender.
- Add the soaked chiles to the blender, discarding the liquid.
- Add the cloves, allspice, vinegar, tequila, salt, and ½ cup of water.
- Blend as smoothly as possible.
- Pour the marinade through a fine-mesh strainer into the pan with the meat.
- Discard debris left in the strainer.
- Turn the meat to coat with the marinade.
- Cover and refrigerate 24 hours.
- Bring the meat (in the dish) to room temperature about 1 hour before cooking.
- Add the chicken broth.
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
- Put on the lid.
- Bake the meat 2 hours, or until the meat is falling-apart tender.
- Remove the meat from the broth and let stand about 20 minutes.
- When cool enough to handle, separate the meat into thick shreds.
- Discard the bones.
- (If done ahead, cover and refrigerate the meat and broth separately.
- Then remove the congealed fat on top of the broth before finishing the dish, or the broth can be poured into a fat skimmer to remove the fat.
- )
- To serve, reheat the broth.
- Add the meat to the broth and heat through completely.
- Serve in soup bowls with lime wedges, salsa, and tortillas.
