Venison Front Shoulder Barbacoa
Of all the taco preparations I make, this one is the crowd favorite. The cooking method for the full front shoulder originated in the Caribbean by the Taino people and was later brought to Mexico. Traditionally, the meat in this recipe is cooked in the ground, covered in agave leaves or in a clay pot. We substitute the ground or a clay pot with a cast iron Dutch oven and a conventional cooking oven for the original methods. This is a slow-cooking process that incorporates both dried and fresh peppers. Although this may not be a perfect representation of a traditional barbacoa, it does capture the flavor profile of the original methods. Because this recipe is somewhat time consuming, it is easy to double the ingredients and freeze the leftovers for quick meals from the freezer.
Ingredients
Antelope Front Shoulder Thawed (shank separated from the blade)
3 guajillo peppers, seeds removed and rehydrated in 2 cups water
3–4 fresh green Anaheim chili peppers, seeds removed
2 dried chipotle peppers
3–4 tomatillos
1–2 tablespoons MeatEater’s Chupacabra Green Taco seasoning (can substitute seasoned salt and pepper)
1 tablespoon beef Better Than Bullion, dissolved in 2 cups of water or 2 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano (regular oregano is fine if you cannot find the Mexican variety)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground cloves
4–5 bay leaves
5–6 cloves garlic
1 medium onion
1 large or 2 small limes, juiced
1 white onion
1 bunch cilantro
A good crumbly Mexican cheese such as cotija cheese or queso fresco
Directions
Preheat pellet grill, smoker or barbecue to 350 F.
Season the shoulder with MeatEater’s Chupacabra Green Taco Seasoning. Chop the tomatillos, onions, green chili peppers in half. Add the fresh vegetables and shoulder to the grill.
Brown both sides of the shoulder over high heat for approximately 7 to 10 minutes per side. You want all the connective tissues and fat to brown well and begin to shrink and contract. The vegetables should have a slight char on the surface.
Remove the seeds from the dried guajillo and chipotle peppers and rehydrate them in 2 cups of water in a small saucepan. Heat the water to a slow boil until the peppers are soft.
Add the guajillo and chipotle peppers, the green chilies, tomatillos, onions, beef stock, juiced limes and all the ingredients except the bay leaves to a large blender. Puree in a blender until smooth.
Place browned meat in a large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven if you have one large enough. If not, a large disposable aluminum roasting pan will work as well. Pour the blended ingredients over the top of the shoulder and add the bay leaves. Cover the skillet, Dutch oven, or roasting pan with a lid or tin foil. Place the meat in an oven at 275 F for 5 to 6 hours.
After 5 or 6 hours, remove the dish from the oven. Place the shoulder on a large tray with a lip such as a rimmed cookie sheet to catch the juice that comes with it. Allow the meat to cool slightly before shredding. Use two forks to shred the meat into bite-size pieces. Discard the bones, put the meat back in the sauce, and mix all the ingredients to coat the meat evenly.
Serve in a corn tortilla taco or over a bed of rice with fresh chopped cilantro and onion and a Mexican cheese such as cotija cheese or Queso fresco.