Birria (Seasoned and Baked Meat)

Title:
Birria (Seasoned and Baked Meat)

Yield:
6 Servings

Categories:
Appetizers,
Mexican,
Lamb




Ingredients:





     8    To 10 servings






 It is a really rustic dish. Usually a whole goat or lamb, although in some


 places just the offal, is seasoned with a paste of ground spices and chiles


 and cooked in a pit barbecue. As you wander around Guadalajara at night,


 you can see that tacos of birria head the list of antojitos on the


 street-side stands and always appear prominently on the Sunday menus of the


 smaller regional restaurants. Here is a family version of birria, with the


 variety of chiles used in Zacatecas, rather than the plain chilacate or


 ancho used in Jalisco.


 


 One day ahead: 2 lamb shanks A veal breast A lamb breast 3 pounds loin of


 pork 2 tbs salt 6 chiles anchos 3 chiles guajillos 10 chiles cascabel 18


 peppercorns                    4 whole cloves 1/4 tsp oregano Scant 1/4 tsp


 cumin seeds 1/4 cup vinegar 2 tsp salt 6 cloves garlic, peeled 1/2 small


 onion Directions: There will be approximately 6 to 7 pounds of meat. Slash


 the meats in several places down to the bone and rub the salt well into it.


 Meanwhile, prepare the chili paste. Heat the comal and toast the chiles


 lightly, turning them from time to time so that they will not burn. Remove


 the veins and seeds. Put the chiles to soak in hot water for about 20


 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to the blender jar, add the


 rest of the ingredients, and blend to a smooth sauce. Cover the meat


 thickly with the paste and set it aside to season for about 18 hours.


 


 On serving day: 1 1/2 cups water The meat Flour and water paste 2 pounds


 tomatoes, broiled 1 cup onion, finely chopped 1/2 tsp oregano Preheat the


 oven to 350 degrees. Put the water into the bottom of a large Dutch oven or


 casserole with a tightly fitting lid and place the meat on a rack so that


 it is just above the water. Seal the lid with a paste of flour and water


 and cook for about 3 1/2 to 4 hours, by which time the meat should be


 almost falling off the bones. Strain off the juices from the bottom of the


 pan, cool, and skim off the fat. There should be about 2 cups of juices


 left- if not, make it up to 2 cups with water. Blend the tomatoes to a


 smooth sauce. Put the sauce and the skimmed juices from the meat into a


 saucepan and bring to a boil. Serve each portion of mixed meats in a deep


 bowl. Pour 1/2 cup sauce over the meat and sprinkle with the chopped onion


 and oregano. Eat with tortillas.


 


 From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini