Lamb Barbacoa Tacos with Pickled Red Onions

Prep Time: 1 hour 10 Mins

Cook Time: 3 Hours

Total Time: 4 Hours 10 Mins

Serves: 6-8

Once you've made barbacoa with lamb, you'll never go back to beef. These Lamb Barbacoa Tacos with Pickled Red Onions start with boneless leg of lamb, marinated in a mixture of citrus, garlic, chiles and spices. It's grilled slowly until fork-tender. It is so delicious, especially folded into warm corn tortillas! Red onions quick-pickled in lime juice, sugar and salt make a bright and flavorful topping. These tacos will be a hit served at your next summer barbecue!

Ingredients

Swap Protein

Thomas Farms Boneless Leg of Lamb

3 pounds Thomas Farms Boneless Leg of Lamb (remove netting)
6 cloves garlic, peeled
Grated zest and juice from 1 orange
Grated zest from 1 lime
Juice from 2 limes
¼ cup warm water
2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt
1 extra-large red onion (about 14 ounces)
¼ teaspoon sugar
½ cup low sodium chicken broth
20 corn tortillas (6-inch), warmed
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

Place the garlic, orange zest, orange juice, lime zest, half the lime juice, water, chili powder, cumin, oregano and 1 ½ teaspoons salt in a blender. Cover and blend until the mixture is smooth. Remove half the blended mixture from the blender and reserve to stir into the cooked lamb later.
To marinate the lamb, pour the remaining blended mixture into a nonmetallic bowl. Add the lamb and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.
Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and discard the marinade 30 minutes before cooking.
Lightly oil the grill rack and heat one side of the grill to medium. Cut the onion in half. Cut one half into ½-inch thick slices. Arrange the onion slices on the grill rack over indirect heat. Place the lamb on the sliced onion.
Grill over indirect heat for 3 hours (lid closed) or until the lamb is fork-tender (no need to turn the lamb during grilling). Remove the lamb and onion to a cutting board. Chop the onion. Cut the lamb into slices, then, using 2 forks, shred the slices.
While the lamb is grilling, make the pickled onion. Cut the remaining onion half into thin slices. In a microwaveable bowl, stir the thinly sliced onion, remaining lime juice, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and the sugar. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 1 ½ minutes. Stir and let stand.

Ingredients

Swap Protein

Thomas Farms Bone-In Leg of Lamb

3 pounds Thomas Farms Bone-In Leg of Lamb (remove netting)
6 cloves garlic, peeled
Grated zest and juice from 1 orange
Grated zest from 1 lime
Juice from 2 limes
¼ cup warm water
2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt
1 extra-large red onion (about 14 ounces)
¼ teaspoon sugar
½ cup low sodium chicken broth
20 corn tortillas (6-inch), warmed
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

Place the garlic, orange zest, orange juice, lime zest, half the lime juice, water, chili powder, cumin, oregano and 1 ½ teaspoons salt in a blender. Cover and blend until the mixture is smooth. Remove half the blended mixture from the blender and reserve to stir into the cooked lamb later.
To marinate the lamb, pour the remaining blended mixture into a nonmetallic bowl. Add the lamb and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.
Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and discard the marinade 30 minutes before cooking.
Lightly oil the grill rack and heat one side of the grill to medium. Cut the onion in half. Cut one half into ½-inch thick slices. Arrange the onion slices on the grill rack over indirect heat. Place the lamb on the sliced onion.
Grill over indirect heat for 3 hours (lid closed) or until the lamb is fork-tender (no need to turn the lamb during grilling). Remove the lamb and onion to a cutting board. Chop the onion. Cut the lamb into slices, then, using 2 forks, shred the slices.
While the lamb is grilling, make the pickled onion. Cut the remaining onion half into thin slices. In a microwaveable bowl, stir the thinly sliced onion, remaining lime juice, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and the sugar. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 1 ½ minutes. Stir and let stand.