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It is a really rustic dish. Usually a whole goat or lamb, although in
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some places just the offal, is seasoned with a paste of ground spices
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and chiles and cooked in a pit barbecue. As you wander around
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Guadalajara at night, you can see that tacos of birria head the list
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of antojitos on the street-side stands and always appear prominently
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on the Sunday menus of the smaller regional restaurants. Here is a
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family version of birria, with the variety of chiles used in
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Zacatecas, rather than the plain chilacate or ancho used in Jalisco.
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One day ahead: 2 lamb shanks A veal breast A lamb breast 3 pounds
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loin of pork 2 tbs salt 6 chiles anchos 3 chiles guajillos 10 chiles
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cascabel 18 peppercorns 4 whole cloves 1/4 tsp
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oregano Scant 1/4 tsp cumin seeds 1/4 cup vinegar 2 tsp salt 6 cloves
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garlic, peeled 1/2 small onion Directions: There will be
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approximately 6 to 7 pounds of meat. Slash the meats in several
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places down to the bone and rub the salt well into it. Meanwhile,
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prepare the chili paste. Heat the comal and toast the chiles lightly,
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turning them from time to time so that they will not burn. Remove the
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veins and seeds. Put the chiles to soak in hot water for about 20
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minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to the blender jar, add
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the rest of the ingredients, and blend to a smooth sauce. Cover the
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meat thickly with the paste and set it aside to season for about 18
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hours.
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On serving day: 1 1/2 cups water The meat Flour and water paste 2
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pounds tomatoes, broiled 1 cup onion, finely chopped 1/2 tsp oregano
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the water into the bottom of a
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large Dutch oven or casserole with a tightly fitting lid and place
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the meat on a rack so that it is just above the water. Seal the lid
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with a paste of flour and water and cook for about 3 1/2 to 4 hours,
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by which time the meat should be almost falling off the bones. Strain
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off the juices from the bottom of the pan, cool, and skim off the
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fat. There should be about 2 cups of juices left- if not, make it up
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to 2 cups with water. Blend the tomatoes to a smooth sauce. Put the
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sauce and the skimmed juices from the meat into a saucepan and bring
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to a boil. Serve each portion of mixed meats in a deep bowl. Pour 1/2
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cup sauce over the meat and sprinkle with the chopped onion and
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oregano. Eat with tortillas.
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