Mediterranean Lamb Tacos

Ronda L. Halpin

I don't often have lamb on hand. While it's not difficult to come by in the upper Midwest, we tend to focus our animal protein source scope on beef, pork, and chicken. That said, when I have the opportunity to get lamb from a local farmer at prices I cannot find anywhere else, I simply cannot miss out on it. And while a really good lamb curry is always on the to-do list, I've found lamb stew meat to be absolutely delightful in tacos.

This particular rendition blends the taco concept with Mediterranean flavors by pairing delightfully marinated lamb with pressure cooking (to give us buttery tender meat) and broiling (to give us a crisp, glistening outer crust) and then tucking the meat into tortillas alongside a fresh chopped salad featuring the flavors of Greece. The result is a plate of tacos I'd eat any day!

Serve these alongside a simple Greek salad, hummus and veggies, or just fill your plate with enough of them to fill you up! These are really nice with mint iced tea, a cold light beer, or a chilled white wine. Oh - and grab napkins, they are delicious and juicy!

Mediterranean Lamb Tacos

For the lamb:
  • ¼ c. orange juice
  • 1 T. lime juice
  • 1 T. tomato paste
  • ¼ c. beer
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp. chilli paste
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 lb. boneless lamb stew meat
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
To serve:
  • Tortillas - flour and/or corn
  • 1 cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced
  • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
  • ¼ c. chopped red onion
  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 T. white wine vinegar
  • 2 T. chopped fresh basil
  • ¼ tsp. dried dill
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Put all of the ingredients for the lamb marinade/sauce (orange juice through smoked paprika) in a bowl and mix together.

Rub the sauce over the lamb stew meat and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Transfer the lamb and marinade to the Instant Pot. Cook the meat for 25 minutes at high pressure and allow the pressure to release naturally.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the Instant Pot and place on a broiler pan. Brush with the sauce in the Instant Pot and broil under high heat for 5-7 minutes, basting with the sauce at least two more times, until the meat is slightly crisp and glistening.

To serve, warm the tortillas and combine the remaining ingredients (cucumber through salt and pepper) to create a fresh salad. Tuck the meat and salad into warm tortillas and enjoy!

  • Yields: 3-4 servings
  • Preparation Time: 45 minutes plus marinating time

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