Braised Lamb Shank Taquitos
Braised Lamb Shank Taquitos
I don’t know what’s better: tender, falling-off-the-bone braised American lamb or crispy corn tortillas stuffed with that same American lamb shank fried to perfection and dunked into the best creamy jalapeño dipping sauce you’ve ever tasted!
You can make the braise and serve it over mashed potatoes or rice and then use leftovers to make the taquitos for a double duty dinner. Or head straight into the taquitos same day for a delicious take-out meal at home.
Did you know that American lamb is not only delicious BUT nutrient rich as well?
- On average, a 3oz. portion of American lamb contains only 160 calories, and is packed with protein.
- American lamb is a good source of iron, phosphorus, pantothenic acid, and copper.
- A 3 oz. serving of American lamb is naturally nutrient rich. It’s packed with an array of essential nutrients such as protein, zinc, selenium, riboflavin, niacin, B6, and vitamin B12.
- These nutrients support the immune system and help your body fight infection, inflammation, and repair cellular damage.
When we make sure to include nutrient-dense foods like American lamb into our diets we simply feel better! I hope you try this wonderful 2-for-1 recipe and get cooking with American lamb!
This post is sponsored by the American Lamb Board. All opinions are my own.
Braised Lamb Shank Taquitos
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 3-4 hours
Makes 3 braised American lamb shanks and 16 taquitos
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 American lamb shanks
1 white onion, sliced
3 cloves fresh garlic
5-6 dried New Mexico chili pods
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2-3 cups water
Taquitos
16 corn tortillas
2 cups neutral oil
4 cups shredded braised American lamb shank
Creamy jalapeño & cilantro sauce
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1/8th of a white onion
2 green onions
1 jalapeño
Juice of one juicy lime
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
2. Heat a 5-quart enamel coated or heavy bottom baking dish with a lid over medium heat. Add the olive oil.
3. Brown the shanks on all sides, add the onions, garlic, paprika, and dried chilies. Add the water.
4. Place the lid on and braise in the oven 3-4 hours. Check the liquid levels every hour to make sure it hasn’t evaporated. Add more if needed.
5. Remove the shanks and allow to cool slightly. Remove the meat and any cartilage from the bones.
Note: USDA recommends lamb be cooked to an internal temperature of 145F with a 3 minute rest.
To make the taquitos:
1. Heat the oil in a skillet to roughly 300 degrees. Cook each tortilla 10-15 seconds to soften. Remove and place onto a paper towel lined plate to soak up excess oil.
2. Lay the cooked tortillas on a board and gently fill with 2 tablespoons of shredded lamb shank. Roll tightly away from yourself.
3. Repeat this process until you’ve filled all tortillas.
4. Gently place the rolled taquitos seam side down in the oil and fry in batches of 5 or 6 roughly 5-7 minutes total. Rotate the taquitos often to brown evenly.
5. Remove taquitos and set on a paper towel lined plate to drain excess grease.
To make the creamy jalapeño & cilantro sauce:
1. Place all ingredients into a food processor and whirl until smooth. Keeps up to 4 days in the fridge.