Smoked Lamb Tostadas

Smoked lamb shoulder tostadas topped with zesty pickled veggies, creamy Mexican crema, all on a crunchy tortilla making a seriously delicious symphony of flavors in every bite.

📝 Ingredients

• 3 lb boneless American lamb shoulder
• 2 tablespoons Diamond kosher salt ((or 1 1/2 tbsp Morton kosher salt))
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• wood chips or pellets ((apple, cherry or oak))
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup vinegar ((such as white wine, cider vinegar or rice vinegar))
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 1 bell pepper, sliced
• 1 small red onion, peeled and sliced thin
• Optional: peppercorns, garlic cloves, fresh herbs, mustard seeds
• corn tostada shells ((pre-made or make your own))
• mexican crema
• fresh cilantro
• lime wedges

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Prep and season the lamb shoulder (the day before cooking if possible). Trim off excess fat, score the fat cap in a cross-hatch pattern, and tightly tie the boneless shoulder together with butcher twine. Drizzle on some oil, then liberally season the entire surface of the meat with kosher salt. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. 2Make the pickled veggies (8 to 24 hours ahead of time)
3. 3Make the pickle brine by combining the water, vinegar, salt and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to dissolve, then remove from the heat.
4. 4Place the veggies in mason jars. Carefully pour the pickling liquid into the jars, completely submerging the vegetables. Let them sit out on the counter for 1 hour to cool, then cover tightly and place in the refrigerator for 8 hours to pickle, or longer for more flavor.
5. 5--- To Smoke the Lamb ---
6. 6Remove the lamb shoulder from the refrigerator 1 hour before smoking. Insert a remote probe thermometer into the thickest part of the meat.
7. 7Set up your smoker according to the manufacturer's instructions for indirect heat cooking and preheat to 225° F.
8. 8Place the lamb shoulder fat side down in the smoker and close the lid.
9. 9Begin checking the temperature after 3 hours. When it reaches 165° F, wrap tightly with aluminum foil or butcher paper, after about 4 to 6 hours of cooking. Then place it back in the smoker (or in the oven). *For faster cooking, you can increase the temperature to 275 to 300° F to finish cooking more quickly once it is wrapped.
10. 10For dice(able) texture, remove from the heat between 190 to 195° F. For shreddable texture, remove at 203 to 205° F.
11. 11Rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour, then dice or shred.
12. 12Crisp up the lamb: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and crisp up the pulled or diced lamb shoulder for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring a few times.
13. 13Assemble the tostadas with your sauce and toppings. Enjoy!