CHEF PRIMERA
BarENES

Barbacoa

Meat & Seafood · Latin American & Caribbean

9 ingredients · 270 minutes · 8 servings

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649kcal58.8g protein43.5g fat1.3g carbs*Estimates computed from the ingredient list; cost uses average US supermarket prices. Not a substitute for packaging measurements or your receipt.

Nothing flagged in the ingredient list. The label is still the last word.

Restrictions

Diets
No porkNo alcohol

Worked out from the ingredient list. It knows nothing about brands, shared equipment or cross contamination, and it is not a certification — if you have an allergy, you still have to read the label.

Steps

  1. toast4 min
    chiles fragrant and pliable but not blackened
    Toast the dried chiles briefly, then cover with hot water until softened. Burning them introduces a bitterness that survives the long braise.
  2. blend5 min
    adobo completely smooth
    Blend the softened chiles with garlic, vinegar, cumin, oregano, salt and enough soaking liquid to move freely. A smooth adobo coats the lamb evenly and produces a cleaner consomé.
  3. season10 min
    lamb thoroughly coated
    Coat the lamb with the adobo and place it snugly in a heavy covered vessel. Add stock around, rather than over, the meat so the environment stays moist without turning the preparation into boiled lamb.
  4. braise225 min
    lamb collapses under a fork and connective tissue is fully softened
    Cook covered at low heat until the shoulder is exceptionally tender. Collagen conversion, not a fixed clock, is the endpoint; if the meat still resists shredding, keep cooking.
  5. rest15 min
    meat cool enough to handle and juices separated
    Rest briefly, skim excess fat from the cooking liquid, and shred or chop the lamb. Return enough consomé to keep the meat succulent and serve the remaining broth alongside.