Dinner: Goat in Chile Marinade, Pit-Barbecue Style

Recipe by /contributors/zarela-martinez Barbacoa de Cabrito This goat barbecue typifies a style where the meat absorbs an adobo, a fragrant, spicy marinade of dried chiles and other seasonings. I watched Zoyla Mendoza make this dish in her village, Teoti

Ingredients

4 ounces guajillo chiles (about 16 large chiles), tops and seeds removed
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon whole cloves, or 3/4 teaspoon ground
10 allspice berries
1/3 cup dried Oaxacan oregano or 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano, crumbled
12 to 15 large sprigs fresh thyme (leaves only), or 2 teaspoons dried
10 garlic cloves
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt or to taste, plus additional for seasoning goat
Freshly ground black pepper
1 16-pound goat, quartered, or 6 to 8 pounds lamb shoulder, bone in, trimmed
1/2 to 3/4 ounce dried avocado leaves, about 30 large leaves

Instructions

Wash and griddle-dry the chiles by the directions below. Place in a deep bowl and cover generously with boiling water. Let soak for at least 20 minutes.
Grind the cumin, cloves, allspice, oregano, and dried thyme (if using) together in an electric coffee or spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle.
Drain the soaked chiles. Working in batches as necessary, place them in a blender with the ground herbs and spices (add fresh thyme at this point if using), garlic, onion, vinegar, salt, and about 1/2 cup water (or enough to facilitate the action of the blades). Process to a smooth purée (about 3 minutes on high), stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. With a wooden spoon or pusher, for the purée through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl. It should have the consistency of a thick but still moist paste.
Season the pieces of goat or lamb with salt and pepper. Slather the seasoning paste all over the meat. Arrange in a large bowl (or any non-reactive container that's large enough), cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours. Remove from the refrigerator about 2 hours before beginning the cooking, to let the meat come to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 325 °F.
Choose a deep roasting pan or baking dish large enough to hold the meat snugly. Scatter half of the avocado leaves across the bottom of the pan and arrange the meat on them. Scatter the remaining leaves over the meat. Cover the pan (wrapping very tightly with several layers of foil if there is no lid) and bake 6 to 7 hours (4 to 4 1/2 hours for the lamb). The meat should be almost falling off the bone.

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