This recipe is very much measured by handfuls and feelings. The tortillas are the Sonoran wheat tortillas made at Albuquerque’s Los Poblanos with the rendered lamb fat from the braise. The lamb itself comes from the local Manzanares family’s Shepherd’s Lamb label, which raises the only certified-organic lamb in the state.
What is Birria?
Birria is a traditional Mexican dish, originally from the state of Jalisco. It typically consists of tender, slow-cooked meat—often goat, but sometimes beef or lamb, like in this recipe —marinated in a flavorful blend of spices, including chili peppers, garlic, cumin, and oregano. The meat is cooked until it’s juicy and easily shreds apart for easy, enjoyable eating.
Print
Campo Lamb Birria
Description
One of the best ways to enjoy lamb.
Ingredients
- 300 g sifted Sonoran flour from Southwest Grain Collaborative
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 15 g baking powder
- 25 g salt
- 50 g lamb fat (We use the heavily spiced and flavorful lamb fat that comes from the lamb braise for this dish. You can use any fat you choose.)
- 40 g warm water
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients together, cut the fat in with fingertips, add warm water and gently combine using a spoon. The mix will be sticky so try not to get too much on your hands.
- Let rest for 30 minutes or so, then portion to desired weight. We use 75-gram portions at the restaurant. Let rest for anywhere from 15 minutes to overnight.
- They are best rolled out 12-36 hours after being portioned. We roll them out about 2 mm thick and grill them directly over the grill here at Campo.
- The hominy is processed here from NM blue corn out of Tamaya and Mexican June white corn from the Schneiders in Santa Fe (Southwest Grain Collaborative). We nixtamalize the corn the night before we need it. We rinse and cook in fresh water with garlic, bay leaf, and salt until tender.
- The vegetables are seasonal, but usually include turnips cooked in butter along with the hominy, and a grilled vegetable such as asparagus.
Try a Delicious Southwest Cocktail
Photography by Mary West
Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.
