Lamb Barbacoa Tacos with Charred Corn Salsa

Cook Time 5 hours (+ overnight marination)

Servings 6

Ingredients

1 2kg Lamb shoulder
2 whole ancho dried chilies, seeds and stems removed
2 whole dried pasilla/guajillo or Mulato chilies, seeds and stems removed
500ml beef stock
2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp dried ground cumin seed
1 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp smoked paprika
2 chipotle chilli in adobo sauce, plus 2 tsp sauce from can
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
4 whole cloves garlic

Salsa
2 corn cobs, blanched
2 tbsp chopped coriander
1 red/green chilli, finely sliced
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 lime
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

To Serve
Flour 8” Tortillas
Shredded iceberg lettuce
Lime wedges

Method

Toast the dried chillies in a large saucepan over medium heat until puffed and lightly browned in spots for about 5 minutes. Add 250ml stock (it should boil immediately), then pour contents of pan into a small bowl. Cover loosely and set aside.

Wipe out saucepan, add oil, and return to medium-high heat then add herbs, spices and cook, stirring frequently, for about 30 seconds. Deglaze with the vinegar, then add sugar and chipotle chilies and sauce and cook about 30 seconds longer. Add salt and remove from heat.

Scrape contents of saucepan into a blender along with garlic and chilies with their soaking liquid and blend on high speed until completely smooth, then set aside to cool.
Using a sharp knife, score the lamb shoulder all over. Rub the marinade all over the meat, making sure you get in the crevices and under the skin. Place in a shallow dish, cover very tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours or even overnight.

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Place the lamb in a deep roasting pan, skin-side up, and pour remaining (250ml) stock into the pan around the meat. Cover the tray with baking paper and then foil and roast for 3 hours before removing the cover and cooking for a further 1.5 hours or until the meat falls off the bone easily.

For the salsa, char the corn on the stove or by torch until browned in spots and blackened in others but not burned. Using a sharp knife, slice down along the cob kernels.
In a small saucepan add oil, garlic and chilli and heat on gentle flame until garlic and chilli infuse in the oil. Add corn, coriander, lime juice salt and pepper.

To serve, make a taco with warmed tortilla, lettuce, some of the lamb and the salsa.