Lamb Birria

Preparation

This lamb birria, a rich stew with Mexican roots, pays homage to how chef Tony Ortiz grew up cooking birria at his grandparents’ ranch in Northern California. The lamb was cooked in an outdoor oven his grandfather built (known as a cocedor), wrapped in maguey leaves, and braised in an aromatic chile sauce. In this home cook-friendly version, he stews the lamb in a HexClad stockpot and adds a bit of Mezcal to recreate the grassy aroma of the maguey. The result is a beautifully tender piece of meat with a spicy, aromatic broth that is fantastic spooned over top or served in a small bowl for dipping. 

*This recipe originally ran in Mexico on HexClad.mx.

1. Season lamb all over with 1 teaspoon of salt and let sit at room temperature for 45 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat a HexClad 12"/30 cm Hybrid Griddle over medium heat. Toast chiles, turning occasionally, until fragrant and charred in spots, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Once cool enough to handle, discard stems and seeds.

3. In a HexClad 3QT/3L Hybrid Saucepan, bring 5 cups of water to a boil. Add charred chiles, cover, and remove from heat. Let chiles steep until softened, about 20 minutes.

4. Place chiles and 3 cups of the soaking liquid in a blender. Add garlic, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, peppercorns, and 2 teaspoons of salt. Puree until very smooth, about 1 minute. 

5. Arrange a rack in the middle of your oven, then preheat to 325°F/160°C. In a HexClad 8QT/8L stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add lamb bone side down and cook, pressing down on the meat to help it sear evenly, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and sear fat side down until browned, 5 to 7 minutes more. 

6. Add chile liquid to the stockpot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add mezcal, oregano, thyme, and bay leaves. Add 3 cups of water, covering a third of the lamb shoulder. Bring to a boil, then cover and transfer to oven. Braise lamb for 2 hours. Remove from the oven and flip lamb so it’s fat side up, then return to oven and cook for about 1 hour more, or until lamb is super tender and shreddable.  

7. Remove lamb from oven. Once cool enough to handle, transfer lamb to a large heatproof bowl. Using 2 forks, shred meat into large chunks. Discard bone (or save for stock). Strain broth through a fine mesh sieve set over a large bowl or measuring cup. Skim off any excess fat. Return broth and lamb to stockpot. Season with salt. 

8. Divide braised lamb between 4 to 6 shallow bowls. Ladle some broth over top and garnish with cilantro and sliced white onion. Serve right away, passing warm tortillas and lime wedges at table.

MAKE AHEAD The braised lamb can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and stored in the broth in the refrigerator. Discard any excess fat that has solidified on top and then reheat gently.