Lamb Birria
Temp
Time
Fuel
Ingredients
Steps
Start the Fire
Everything tastes better over open fire! Same goes for this Birria recipe. Fire up the Tagwood BBQ 06SS with some Butlerwood Post Oak splits. We want to keep this as an active fire for the duration of the cook.
Prep the Lamb Leg
Start by cross hatching the fat on the lamb leg. This will allow the seasoning, salmuera and smoke to penetrate into the meat. Season all sides with Al Frugonis Chimichurri rub
Hang the Lamb Leg
Insert a meat hook into the leg and hang it next to the open fire. We are cooking with radiant heat so make sure to not place the lamb leg directly over the flame. Judge your distance from the flame by the feeling in your hand. You should be able to hold your hand next to the leg for 5 seconds before you need to pull your hand away from the heat.
Prep the Salmuera
In a 1qt Finex Cast Iron Sauce Pot, add 16oz of water and 4oz of Al Frugonis Asado All Purpose Rub to create a salmuera. Using either a mop, basting brush or a bushel of thyme, baste the lamb leg with the salmuera every 30-45 minutes.
Birria Consume - Hydrate Chilies
In a 7qt Finex Cast Iron Dutch Oven placed over the coals, add 1/2 gallon of water to bring to a simmer. Add in all the dried chilies (seeds and stems removed) to rehydrate. This should take 10 minutes or so. Once they are hydrated, blend with an immersion blender until they are well incorporated with the water.
Birria Consume - Add Ingredients
Remove the top off the head of garlic and any lose skin. Cut the carrot into 3-4 chunks. Cut the orange in half. Remove the skin from the onion. Place all ingredients for the sauce into the water, stirring until well combined, let simmer to combine.
Sear Lamb Leg
When the lamb legs internal temperature hits 165F, sear the lamb leg over direct flame. This will build up the crust and add some texture and flavor to the lamb.
Braise the Lamb Leg
Add the lamb leg to the 7qt Finex Cast Iron Dutch Oven, cover with the lid, let braise for 3-4 hours until the lamb is tender and falls off the bone. Once done, remove the bone, shred the meat in the consume and let simmer for 30 minutes.
Make the Tacos
Take your corn tortilla and dip it into the fat that is sitting on the top of the consume, this will prevent the tortilla from sticking to your hot griddle. If you do not see a lot of fat, you can oil your griddle before placing your tortilla down to cook. Add some shredded Oaxaca Cheese, a pile of the lamb, some fresh chopped white onion and chopped cilantro. Fold the tortilla over to make a taco. Cook until crispy on both sides.