American Lamb Barbacoa Quesadillas

Ingredients

• Lamb Barbacoa — 2 tablespoons avocado or vegetable oil
• Lamb Barbacoa — 1½ pounds American lamb shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 2-inch chunks
• Lamb Barbacoa — 2 teaspoons salt, divided
• Lamb Barbacoa — 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• Lamb Barbacoa — 2–4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, depending on spice preference
• Lamb Barbacoa — 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• Lamb Barbacoa — 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Lamb Barbacoa — Juice of 1 lime
• Lamb Barbacoa — 1½ teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
• Lamb Barbacoa — 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Lamb Barbacoa — ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Lamb Barbacoa — ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• Lamb Barbacoa — 1 bay leaf
• Quesadillas — 10–12 taco-sized flour tortillas
• Quesadillas — 1½–2 cups shredded Oaxaca, Monterey Jack, or Mexican-blend cheese
• Quesadillas — Neutral oil, for cooking
• Quesadillas — Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
• Quesadillas — Lime wedges, for serving
• Quesadillas — Sliced jalapeños, for serving
• Quesadillas — Guacamole, for serving

Method

1. 1

   Brown the lamb: Preheat the oven to 325°F.  Heat the oil in a small Dutch oven or heavy oven-safe pot over medium-high heat.  Season the American lamb with 1 teaspoon of salt and, working in batches if necessary, sear the pieces for 2–3 minutes per side, until deeply browned.

2. 2

   Prepare the barbacoa sauce: Add the chicken broth, chipotle chiles and adobo sauce, garlic, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, oregano, cumin, the remaining salt, black pepper, and ground cloves to a blender.  Blend until smooth.

3. 3

   Braise the lamb: Pour the blended barbacoa sauce into the Dutch oven over the lamb, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.  The liquid should come a bit more than halfway up the lamb, so add a splash more chicken broth if needed.  Add the bay leaf and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer over medium heat.  Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the oven.  Braise for 2½–3 hours, stirring the lamb halfway through cooking.  Add a splash of broth if the lamb dries out too much before it finishes cooking.  Remove from the oven when the lamb is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.

4. 4

   Shred the lamb: Remove the pot from the oven and discard the bay leaf.  Transfer the lamb and up to a half cup of the braising liquid to a bowl and shred it into small pieces using two forks.  Increase the oven temperature to 425°F.

5. 5

   Assemble quesadillas: Drizzle a nonstick rimmed baking sheet with oil.  Lay the tortillas on the sheet pan.  Sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of cheese over half of each tortilla.  Top with approximately ¼ cup shredded barbacoa lamb.  Fold the quesadillas in half and press gently so they stay closed.

6. 6

   Bake the quesadillas: Bake the quesadillas for 5 minutes.  Remove from the oven and flip.  Bake for another 3 minutes, then flip once more.  Bake for another 2 minutes, or until both sides are golden and crispy and the cheese is melted.  Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 1 minute before cutting each quesadilla in half.

7. 7

   Serve: Arrange the quesadilla halves on a platter with the guacamole, cilantro, jalapeños, and lime wedges.  Serve immediately.