Lamb Machaca (tender Pulled Mexican Lamb)

Total Time: 4 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 1 (4 -5 lb) lamb butt (about 4-5 lbs, but up to 10 is fine too)
• 2 quarts water (enough to cover meat by about 2/3)
• 2 1/2 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder (knorr is my favorite)
• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes or 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 20 whole garlic cloves (or 2 tbl. granulated, but fresh will work better)
• 4 whole jalapenos, more can be used for a spicier final dish (or 2 small cans diced green chiles, or 1 small can jalepenos-not pickled)
• 2 teaspoons oregano (dry leaf..never use ground!)

Recipe

• 1 combine all ingredients in a stockpot and simmer until fork tender-this can take from 3-4 hours.
• 2 can be made in a crock pot also-decrease liquid by about 1/2, bouillon powder by 1/3, and cook on low for 8-10 hours (or until tender as above).
• 3 when tender, remove from heat and allow meat to cool in the broth until cool enough to handle (this will keep the meat moist).
• 4 shred (or "pull") either with forks or by hand.
• 5 place in storage container and add some of the broth to moisten; refrigerate until needed.
• 6 reheat either in microwave, or in saucepan; use a little of the juice to keep it moist.
• 7 for the mexican-flavored pot roast, don't shred-slice fairly thick (about 1/2"), and make a gravy by thickening some of the juice with either cornstarch or roux (sorry, you'll have to thicken by sight; tough to give an exact quantity for that); serve with plain steamed rice/boiled potatoes and a vegetable-broccoli and/or carrots come to mind first. leftovers make great open-faced hot sandwiches.
• 8 for soup, take broth and add some onions, carrots, celery, an extra bit of canned diced tomato (you can use almost anything for veggies depending on what you like/have on hand), some of the lamb meat and posole (or hominy); simmer until tender and add shredded cabbage; cook another 15 minutes. serve with hot tortillas and a salad for a complete meal.
• 9 can also be made as beef machaca by using bottom (outside) round, chuck, or brisket; replace chicken bouillon powder with beef.