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Lamb Tacos with Pickled Shallots, Cabbage Slaw, and Carrot Salad on wooden board.
Pulled Lamb Tacos with Pickled Shallots, Cabbage Slaw, and Carrot Salad
Nothing says family-fun like taco night. Try our lamb tacos dressed in a fusion of flavors from Mexico to Turkey for the perfect bite of fat, sweetness, and tang.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 40 minutes
Course Appetizer, Brunch, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Fusion
Servings 9
Calories 500 kcal

Ingredients
  

Lamb

  • 4.5 lbs lamb shoulder 2kgs
  • 18 corn tortillas or flour
  • 1 large yellow onion sliced
  • 1/2 orange squeezed
  • 2 limes squeezed
  • 2 tbsps Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 3 inches ginger peeled and grated
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
  • 10 cloves garlic depending on the size of the lamb
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • Maldon salt flakes garnish
  • ground pepper

Pickled Shallots

  • 1/2 large shallot or 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 lime squeezed
  • 2 tsps coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cane sugar

Carrot Salad

  • 4 small carrots or 2 large carrots
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lime squeezed
  • 1 clove garlic peeled and minced
  • 1/2 tsp fennel seeds toasted
  • 1/4 tsp honey
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • ground pepper 5 grinds

Cabbage Slaw

  • 1/4 head green cabbage shredded
  • 1/4 cup green onion
  • 1/4 cup cilantro roughly chopped
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tbsps apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tbsps red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • ground pepper 7 grinds

Instructions
 

1. Marinate the Lamb Shoulder (Overnight)
  • Combine orange (squeezed), limes (squeezed), Dijon mustard, honey, ground cumin, cumin seeds, and 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil into a small mixing bowl. Whisk.
  • Peel and grate ginger into the mixing bowl. Whisk.
  • Pierce holes into the skin of the lamb shoulder.
  • Deepen some of those holes in the skin of the lamb shoulder and stuff garlic cloves into the skin. Move the knive from side to side to widen the holes. We recommend 6-10 cloves, depending on the size of your lamb shoulder.
  • Rub the lamb shoulder with the marinade in every nook and cranny, including under the skin where possible.
  • Store lamb shoulder in a vacuum sealed bag or an airtight container overnight.
2. Prepare and Slow Cook the Lamb Shoulder
  • Remove lamb shoulder from the bag or the airtight container. Bring lamb to room temperature before cooking (for a minimum of one hour).
  • Preheat the oven to 280 degrees Fahrenheit (135 degrees Celsius).
  • Rub Kosher salt and grind pepper all over the lamb shoulder.
3. Lightly Sauté Onions and Begin to Roast Lamb
  • Slice yellow onion and set aside.
  • Place the roasting pot on the stovetop at medium-low heat. Pour 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive into a roasting pot. Add yellow onion slices. Sauté lightly for 5 minutes.
  • Place lamb shoulder (skin up) atop the yellow onion slices and place the roasting pot in the oven.
  • Cook in the oven at 280 degrees Fahrenheit (135 degrees Celsius) and baste every hour for 4 hours.
4. Finish the Lamb
  • For the last 30 minutes to 1 hour, turn the oven temperature up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) to char the skin. While the Lamb is resting for the remaining 30 minutes, prepare the toppings by following the instructions below.
  • Cook lamb until the internal temperature reaches 195 degrees Fahrenheit (91 degrees Celsius). Be careful not to overcook. Read the “Need-to-Know” section above for details.
  • Remove lamb from the roasting pot and cover with aluminum foil. Allow the meat to rest for 30 minutes.
  • Pull lamb off the bone and cut remaining pieces into thin strips or bite-size pieces. Toss sliced lamb with excess lamb juice (not fat) and onions from the roasting pot.
5. Prepare the Carrot Salad
  • Grate carrots into a mixing bowl. Mince garlic. Set aside.
  • Add fennel seeds to a sauté pan on medium heat and lightly toast for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  • In a separate bowl, mix dressing by adding extra-virgin olive oil, lime (squeezed), minced garlic, toasted fennel seeds, ground cumin, raw honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Whisk. Sprinkle in raisins. Allow the vinaigrette to sit for 30 minutes.
  • Toss carrots with the dressing.
6. Pickle the Shallots
  • Place a saucepan on the stovetop at medium heat. Add red wine vinegar, water, brown mustard seeds, coriander seeds, salt, and sugar.
  • When the pickling liquid begins to boil, turn down the heat to medium-low heat to simmer.
  • Cook for 5 minutes, uncovered, until sugar dissolves. Add shallots sliced to a mixing bowl and pour pickling liquid over the shallots when done.
  • Allow the shallots to sit in the pickling liquid for 30 minutes.
7. Mix the Cabbage Slaw
  • Thinly slice cabbage, finely chop green onions, and roughly chop cilantro. Add cabbage, green onions, and cilantro to a mixing bowl.
  • Toss with extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper.
8. Let’s Plate!
  • Place the tortilla on a plate.
  • Top with a handful of lamb meat, a spoon of shallots, and a sprinkling of cabbage slaw and carrot salad.
  • Garnish with fresh cilantro and Maldon salt flakes.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 500kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 34gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 1294mgPotassium: 830mgFiber: 7gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 3840IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 125mgIron: 5mg
Keyword Delicious
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