Mexican Cabrito Recipes

BIRRIA DE CHIVO ESTILO JALISCO (MEXICAN BRAISED GOAT)

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil; add ancho chile peppers and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let chiles soak in the hot water until soft, about 10 minutes; drain.
• Blend softened chiles, 1 cup vinegar, 15 peppercorns, ginger, 2 garlic cloves, 3 cloves, 1 pinch marjoram, 1 pinch cumin, and 1 pinch thyme in a blender until marinade is smooth. Strain marinade into a bowl.
• Place goat in a bowl and pour in marinade, coating goat completely. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Transfer goat and marinade to a baking dish; cover with a lid or aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until goat is very tender, about 3 1/2 hours. Remove lid or foil and cook until goat is browned, about 15 minutes. Pour meat juices into a container and reserve. Cover the goat to keep warm.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add tomatoes and boil until soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain and let tomatoes cool until easily handled.
• Peel tomatoes and place in blender with reserved goat juices, 2 cups water, 3 peppercorns, 2 garlic cloves, 2 cloves, 1 pinch marjoram, 1 pinch thyme, and 1 pinch cumin. Blend until meat sauce is smooth.
• Pour meat sauce into a small saucepan and season with salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer over low heat.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil; add chiles de arbol and boil until soft, about 5 minutes. Drain.
• Blend softened chiles with 1/4 cup vinegar, 10 peppercorns, 1 garlic clove, and salt until hot sauce is smooth. Strain into a glass.
• Cut goat into bite-sized pieces and serve with a generous amount of meat sauce and hot sauce on the side. Sprinkle onion over goat.

QUEALY WATSON'S CABRITO

Steps:

• Light a charcoal grill or smoker, or heat oven to 250. If goat is too large for your grill, smoker or oven, cut it in half across the backbone at the top of its rear legs to create two halves.
• Season the meat aggressively with salt and pepper. If smoking, place the goat on the smoker and cover, keeping the heat around 220 to 250. If grilling, move coals to one side of the grill, and place goat on the other, away from the direct flame, then cover the grill. If oven-roasting, put goat on a sheet pan and place in the oven.
• Cook the goat for 2 hours or so, until it has taken on some color, then remove from the heat and place on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Scatter the avocado leaves across the meat, and wrap the goat in the foil, using another sheet of foil if necessary.
• Place the covered goat on a sheet pan, and put in the oven to continue cooking for 3 or 4 more hours, until the meat is tender and pulls away from the bone. Serve with tortillas and salsas.

CABRITO (GOAT) AND RED GRAVY

Steps:

• Brown cabrito in a large pot, use a little oil if it sticks.
• Add salt and pepper and enough water to cover and cook until about half done.
• Add chili powder, onion and comino seed to the mixture.
• When completely done and tender, mix flour in a bit of water to make a paste.
• Stir into pot with cabrito mixture to make a gravy.

BBQ GOAT OR LAMB: BARBACOA DE CORDERO

Steps:

• Toast chiles, cover with boiling water in a deep bowl, and set aside for 20 minutes. Grind cumin, cloves, allspice, and oregano in coffee grinder. Drain soaked chiles, puree in blender the chiles, ground spices, thyme, garlic, onion, vinegar, and 1/2 cup of water. Process until smooth Push mixture through a sieve, season goat with salt and pepper. Rub paste all over the meat. Arrange in a bowl and allow to marinate for 4 hours, refrigerated.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a deep roaster pan scatter half of the avocado leaves on the bottom, place meat on top of the avocado leaves and scatter the remaining leaves over the meat. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Cook the goat 6 to 7 hours until meat is falling off the bone. If using lamb shoulder cook for 4 hours.

BIRRIA TACOS RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Make the birria: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
• Arrange the chuck roast and short ribs on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle ¼ cup salt all over the beef, making sure to coat each piece completely. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
• Add the ancho, guajillo and morita chiles to a medium heatproof bowl. Cover with warm water and soak until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Remove the seeds and stems and set chiles aside.
• In a medium skillet over medium heat, toast the cinnamon stick, coriander, black pepper, allspice, and cloves until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer the toasted spices, bay leaves, and oregano to a spice grinder or high-powered blender and grind into a fine powder.
• Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
• Remove the seasoned meat from the refrigerator and use paper towels to pat dry.
• In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a tight fitting lid, heat ¼ cup canola oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, sear the seasoned meat on all sides until golden brown, working in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding the pot, about 20 minutes. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside. If the oil looks dark and burnt, discard and add ¼ cup fresh canola oil to the pot and return to medium-high heat.
• Add the yellow onion, tomatoes, and remaining tablespoon of salt to the hot oil and cook until the onion begins to sweat, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
• Add the ground spices and continue cooking until aromatic, about 2 minutes.
• Add the apple cider vinegar, water, seared meat, and chiles. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer until the stew begins to thicken and the chiles are completely softened, about 30 minutes.
• Remove the chiles from the stew and transfer to a high-powered blender with about 2 cups of the broth. Blend until smooth, then pour back into the pot and stir to combine. Cover the stew with the banana leaves, then place the lid on top. Transfer the stew to the oven and continue cooking until the meat easily pulls away from the short ribs bones, about 90 minutes. If the meat has some resistance, cover and cook longer, until very tender.
• Remove the stew from the oven and discard the banana leaves, then remove the meat from the pot and transfer to a large bowl. Use a pair of tongs and a fork to shred the meat to your desired texture. Reserve the broth (consomé).
• Make the tacos: Heat the remaining tablespoon of canola oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Dip a tortilla in the warm consomé, then lay flat in the hot oil. Add 2 tablespoons of queso Oaxaca to one half of the tortilla and about ¼ cup of the shredded beef to the other half. Fold the quesadilla shut and cook until the cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute. Flip the quesadilla and continue cooking until the tortilla is golden brown and crispy and the cheese is oozing from the edges, about 1 minute. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, cheese and birria.
• Serve the tacos with the consomé alongside for dipping as well as pickled onions, sliced radishes, chopped fresh cilantro, and lime wedges.
• Enjoy!