Lamb Shank Birria

Name: Lamb Shank Birria
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 h 15 min
Total time: 12 h 35 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2½ teaspoons black peppercorns; 1 tablespoon cumin seeds; 4 star anise pods; 3 whole Mexican (Ceylon) cinnamon sticks (about 3 inches each), broken into a few pieces; 4 allspice berries; 2 whole cloves; 2 dried avocado leaves (hoja de aguacate) or dried bay leaves; 6 dried guajillo chiles, seeded; 3 dried mulato chiles, seeded; 9 dried puya chiles, seeded; 3 cups boiling water, plus more as needed; 1 cup lard; 1 large white onion (about 1 pound), chopped; 7 garlic cloves, chopped; 2 avocado leaves; 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano, plus more for garnish; ¼ cup grated piloncillo or light brown sugar; ½ cup cold brew coffee concentrate; 1 cup malt vinegar, divided; 4 meaty lamb shanks (4½ to 5 pounds total); 2 limes, zested and juiced, plus more zest for garnish; Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal); 6 to 8 cups beef or lamb stock (1½ to 2 quarts); Very thinly sliced white onion rings, rinsed in cold water and patted dry, for garnish; Finely ground espresso powder, for garnish (optional); Warm corn tortillas and black beans (such as Frijoles de Olla), for serving (optional)

Recipe from Carlos Salgado

Adapted by Brett Anderson

Updated September 14, 2026

Nico Schinco for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Kaitlin Wayne.

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Ready In: About 12½ hr
: (4 ½ hr, plus overnight marinating)
Rating: (0)
Comments: Read comments

Carlos Salgado uses lamb shanks, in place of the more traditional whole animal, for his version of birria, which he serves at La Sirena, the excellent Mexican restaurant he runs in rural Wisconsin with his wife and business partner Emilie Coulson Salgado. The stew is a particularly satisfying dish to make in the heart of winter, and well worth the effort. Toasted chiles, caramelized onions and avocado leaves, slow-cooked in lard and then blended with coffee and vinegar, form the foundation of the dish. Mr. Salgado marinates the lamb in the birria paste overnight, then gently simmers the shanks until tender and surrounded by rich consomé, ready to savor with warm tortillas. —Brett Anderson

Featured in: The Restaurant List 2026

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

For the Spice Paste

2½ teaspoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
4 star anise pods
3 whole Mexican (Ceylon) cinnamon sticks (about 3 inches each), broken into a few pieces
4 allspice berries
2 whole cloves
2 dried avocado leaves (hoja de aguacate) or dried bay leaves
6 dried guajillo chiles, seeded
3 dried mulato chiles, seeded
9 dried puya chiles, seeded
3 cups boiling water, plus more as needed

For the Lamb

1 cup lard
1 large white onion (about 1 pound), chopped
7 garlic cloves, chopped
2 avocado leaves
2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano, plus more for garnish
¼ cup grated piloncillo or light brown sugar
½ cup cold brew coffee concentrate
1 cup malt vinegar, divided
4 meaty lamb shanks (4½ to 5 pounds total)
2 limes, zested and juiced, plus more zest for garnish
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
6 to 8 cups beef or lamb stock (1½ to 2 quarts)

For serving

Very thinly sliced white onion rings, rinsed in cold water and patted dry, for garnish
Finely ground espresso powder, for garnish (optional)
Warm corn tortillas and black beans (such as Frijoles de Olla), for serving (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Make the spice paste: In a spice grinder, grind the peppercorns, cumin seeds, star anise, cinnamon sticks, allspice and cloves until finely ground; set aside.
Step 2
Heat a dry medium frying pan (not nonstick) or comal over medium-low heat. In batches, toast the avocado leaves and chiles in the pan, turning occasionally, until slightly softened, aromatic and a shade darker, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Set aside the toasted avocado leaves, and transfer chiles to a large bowl and cover with 3 cups boiling water; let soak until softened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
Step 3
Using tongs, remove chiles from the bowl, reserving the soaking liquid. Transfer the chiles to a blender along with about ¾ cup of soaking liquid (reserving the remaining soaking liquid) and puree to make a thick paste.
Step 4
In a large pan, heat the lard over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and caramelized, about 15 minutes. Stir in the reserved ground spices and stir constantly until they release their fragrance and darken slightly, about 1 minute. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Step 5
Add the chile paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the toasted avocado leaves to the pot, along with 1¼ cups of the reserved chile soaking liquid. Bring to a gentle simmer, adjusting the heat if needed, then cover and gently simmer until the oil floats to the surface and the solids are deeply flavorful, about 40 minutes.
Step 6
Remove the avocado leaves, then stir in the oregano and piloncillo. Return the mixture to the blender and puree with the coffee and ½ cup of vinegar, adding a bit of water or more reserved chile soaking liquid if the mixture seems too thick. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl and set birria paste aside to cool.
Step 7
Make the lamb: Place the lamb in a large baking dish and rub with the remaining ½ cup vinegar and season with the lime zest and 2 tablespoons salt. Coat with the birria paste and refrigerate overnight, uncovered.
Step 8
When ready to cook, transfer the lamb along with any liquid in the dish to a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot and cover with stock (it’s fine if the lamb isn’t fully submerged). Bring to a simmer, then adjust the heat to the lowest simmer and braise until tender, about 2½ hours. Turn off the heat and let the shanks rest in the pot for 30 minutes. Pull the meat off the bone, reserving the consomé it cooked in.
Step 9
Adjust the seasoning of the consomé to taste with lime juice and salt. Serve the lamb with a generous amount of consomé, garnished with onion rings and a light dusting of lime zest, oregano and, if desired, ground espresso. Serve with warm corn tortillas and black beans, if you like.