by: Kate McMillan
Cook Time
6 hours
Prep Time
45 minutes
Yield
8 Servings
Total Time
6 hours
Prep Time
45 minutes
Yield
8 Servings
summary
For National Taco Day (and any day after), serve it up fancy for the family with our Taco Rack and Hayes Black Marble Board and try this Slow Cooker recipe for barbacoa tacos, perfect for a family weeknight dinner or chilly fall Sundays spent on the sofa. An easy 45-minute prep leaves you with minimal cleanup and the delicious smell of lamb wafting through the home the rest of the day.
ingredients
- Lamb Filling:
- 1 medium-size yellow onion, quartered
- 3 tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed and halved
- 3 plum tomatoes, quartered
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 4-5 pounds lamb shoulder or leg
- Salt, pepper, to season
- 2 tablespoons honey enchilada-style sauce (recipe below)
- Tacos:
- 24 tortillas (48, if you want to double up tortillas on each taco)
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 cup white onion, chopped
- 6 radishes, julienned
- 6 limes, quartered
- Enchilada Sauce:
- 6 dried guajillo (or any dried red chili. Can be found in any Mexican market).
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- ½ small yellow onion, halved
- 2 cups chicken/vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon cumin Salt, pepper, to taste
directions
- For Enchilada Sauce:
- Heat small pot over medium heat.
- Remove stems from guajillo, cut to remove seeds. Toast in heated pot, stir and be careful not to burn or they become bitter.
- See Step 8 in Lamb Filling instructions (below) to finish sauce.
- For Lamb Filling:
- Preheat broiler.
- Put onions, tomatillos, tomatoes and garlic on a baking sheet. Put baking sheet in broiler; cook without turning vegetables until they start to get charred, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove, set aside and let cool.
- While vegetables are cooling, add chili mixture for the Enchilada Sauce to a blender, adding oregano, cumin, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Add this to the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Season lamb with salt and pepper, sear on all sides in the slow cooker or in a pan. If cooking in a pan, transfer lamb to the slow cooker and turn on high. While slow cooker is coming to temperature, put roasted/charred vegetables in blender and puree until smooth.
- Carefully open slow cooker, as there will most likely be steam. Pour vegetable puree over lamb in the slow cooker and cook for 4–6 hours.
- When lamb is fork-tender and falling apart, turn off slow cooker and let cool for 30 minutes. Using tongs and a fork, shred lamb. Turn slow cooker back on to warm setting.
- Warm tortilla. To serve, fill tortillas with lamb and top with cilantro, onions, radishes and lime juice.
