Servings
12 Tacos
Ingredients
Achiote Marinade
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 7 ounces achiote paste
- 1 serrano chili (stem removed)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons guajillo chili powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
BBQ American Lamb Shoulder
- 1 boneless American Lamb shoulder
- 1 batch achiote marinade (see above)
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons 16 mesh ground black pepper
Pickled Pineapple
- 1 pineapple peeled and small diced
- 1 cup rice vinegar
- 1 cone piloncillo
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon whole allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
Garnish
- 1/2 red onion small diced
- 1 bunch cilantro chopped
- Zest of 1 lime
- 1 14oz wheel queso fresco
Directions
Place all the achiote marinade ingredients in a blender and grind into a smooth paste.
Day 1 cooking directions for BBQ American Lamb Shoulder - Take boneless lamb shoulder and rub generously with marinade. Place seasoned lamb into a pan and pour the remaining marinade over the lamb evenly. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Day 2 cooking directions for BBQ American Lamb Shoulder - Remove lamb from pan and season both sides with salt and pepper. Smoke lamb shoulder for 7 to 8 hours at 250F in a BBQ pit smoking with post oak (or your wood of choice).
Lamb should reach an internal temperature of around 195F. Confirm the lamb is prob tender before taking it off of the BBQ pit. Hold lamb hot until service.
Place diced pineapple into a clean, sanitized and heat resistant glass pickling jar. Place rice vinegar, salt, and piloncillo in a stainless steel sauce pot.
Bundle cinnamon, allspice, and cloves in cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine. Add spice bundle to pot and bring to a boil making sure to dissolve piloncillo.
When piloncillo is dissolved pour hot brine over the pineapple add the spice bundle and close with the lid. Allow pickle to cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate overnight before using.
Before using remove the spice bundle.
Mix onion, cilantro, and lime and reserve. Crumble queso fresco and reserve.
Assembly
Heat up 1 dozen yellow corn tortillas. Slice lamb shoulder against the grain. Place 2-3 oz lamb into each tortilla. Top lamb with onion/cilantro mix. Sprinkle 1 oz queso fresco per taco. Finish with 8-10 cubes of pickled pineapple.
USDA recommends the following time and temperature parameters
Ground Lamb
Internal temperature of 160°F
All Other Cuts
Internal temperature of 145°F, with a 3 minute rest
