INGREDIENTS
American Lamb Shoulder:
3.5– 4 pound boneless American lamb shoulder roast
3 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika, any variety
2 teaspoons mixed spices or 7 spice, you can sub all-spice if you can’t locate
1 teaspoon sumac
1 teaspoon garlic powder
10 cloves of garlic, peeled and trimmed
4 Tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, sliced
1 cup red wine or veggie/chicken/beef stock
juice of 2 lemons
Cabbage and Beet Slaw:
1–2 cloves of fresh garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses
2 whole lemons, juiced
1 cup yogurt or sour cream
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 whole fresh beet, peeled and sliced thin into matchsticks
Other Taco Ingredients:
Pita bread, freshly made or store bought
Feta cheese, or other preferred cheese
Additional thick yogurt if desired
Scallions
DIRECTIONS
American Lamb Shoulder:
Begin by preheating your oven to 325 degrees.
Next, begin preparing your boneless American boneless lamb. Mix your spices together in a small bowl: salt, pepper, paprika, mixed spices (or 7 spices), sumac and garlic powder. Set aside.
Peel 10 cloves of garlic, if some are larger pieces, you can cut in half.
Begin making small slits in the lamb in and then place a garlic clove inside. Continue on all sides of your lamb until you’ve used all your garlic cloves. Use or more or less to your taste. Remember, the garlic will melt and become sweet when roasted, so no heavy garlic flavor.
Once you’ve inserted your garlic, coat your lamb with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and rub your spice mixture all over your lamb until fully coated. Set aside.
In the bottom of a heavy-bottomed dutch oven (or oven safe pot) add your remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and begin sautéing your onions over medium-high heat. Cook for 4-5 minutes until translucent then remove from pot and set aside.
Turn your burner to high and place your lamb in the same pot and begin searing on one side for 3-4 minutes, then flip and continue to sear on all sides until golden brown all around.
Add your onions back to the pot as well as your wine or other cooking liquid and lemon juice.
Cover and place in preheated oven. Cook for 3 hours, begin checking at the 2.5 hour mark. When you remove from oven, you want the lamb to be fork tender, meaning when you take a fork to it, it will begin to fall apart. If it’s still tough – cover and add additional time in 30 minute increments.
Once your lamb is cooked, remove from cooking liquid and allow to rest 15 minutes.
Place your cooking liquid to the side and allow to cool, once cool – the fat (lamb has a lot of rendered fat) will surface to the top and you can skim away and compost or place in garbage – do not put down sink!
Reserve the remaining liquid/sauce + onions and mix with your lamb.
Cabbage and Beet Slaw:
Make your dressing by smashing your garlic cloves with a mortar and pestle. Next add your salt, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice and salt.
Whisk in your yogurt or sour cream until smooth.
Add your shredded cabbage and sliced beets to the bowl. Begin working into the dressing.
Toss until fully combined.
Assembling:
To assemble your tacos, heat your pita slightly over an open flame on stovetop or for just a few seconds in the oven or microwave.
Add in your sliced lamb pieces, top with cabbage slaw then finish with feta cheese, scallions and additional yogurt or sour cream.
