Chef Claudette Wilkins Aussie Lamb Shank Barbacoa

  • Prep time 30Min
  • Cook time 3Hr
  • Technique Grill
  • Meat Lamb
  • Cut Shank
  • Serves 4

This dish is based off of traditional lamb barbacoa from Hidalgo but with a unique twist, lamb smoked in maguey and avocado leaves, and salsa spiked with a housemade tepache, which is a low-alcohol ferment of pineapple.

Ingredients

  • 1 case Aussie lamb shanks 
  • 3 each maguey leaves 
  • 3 each pineapple 
  • 10 each avocado leaves 
  • 3 each hoja santa 
  • 0.5 quart lard 

For the adobo: 

  • 12 each morita chile 
  • 28 each ancho chile 
  • 20 each avocado leaves 
  • 4 teaspoons all spice berries 
  • 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
  • 6.5 oz sugar 
  • 6.5 oz white vinegar 

Method

To prep: Char maguey leaves over grill, place leaves on sheet pan and line up lamb shanks to fill pan. Place pineapple and avocado leaves above shanks and wrap maguey leaves around them. 

To cook: Smoke for three hours. 

For the adobo: In a saucepan, boil water and soak the chiles and avocado leaves. Blend with the rest of the adobo ingredients, strain with chinois.