Begin by softening the ancho and pasilla chiles. Place the dried chiles in a microwave-safe bowl with a splash of water, covering it with a lid. Microwave on high for about 2 minutes until tender. Once softened, blend the chiles with garlic, onion, chipotles, oregano, salt, apple cider vinegar, honey, and olive oil until the mixture is smooth, creating a rich chile sauce.

Prepare your venison shanks by patting them dry and generously seasoning with salt and pepper. In a hot Dutch oven, heat pork lard over medium-high heat. Sear the shanks until they are beautifully browned on all sides, roughly 3-4 minutes per side, and remove them from the pot. This step is crucial for building flavor in your Venison Shank Tacos.

Transfer the browned venison shanks to the crock pot. Pour in the prepared chile sauce, ensuring the shanks are covered. Add the stock, cinnamon sticks, and bay leaves. Check that the shanks are submerged; if necessary, add additional liquid. This slow-cooking method will yield incredibly tender meat.

Cover the crock pot and refrigerate it overnight. This step deepens the flavors of the venison and chile sauce, allowing the spices to meld beautifully. Prepping ahead will make your cooking day easier—enjoy the anticipation!

The next day, set your crock pot to high and cook the venison for 2 hours. After that, switch to low and continue cooking for an additional 6 hours. The meat should become tender and easily pull away from the bone, perfect for your tacos!

Once cooked, carefully remove the venison shanks from the crock pot and let them cool slightly. Discard the bones and any connective tissues, then shred the meat with forks. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing the sauce through to achieve a silky, flavorful consistency.

Return the shredded venison to the strained sauce in the crock pot. Warm on low for about 20 minutes, allowing the meat to soak up the rich flavors of the sauce. This ensures every bite of your tacos is juicy and packed with flavor.

While the venison warms, prepare the apple slaw by whisking together sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, lime zest, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Then, combine the shredded savoy cabbage, apples, cilantro, green onions, and jalapeño, mixing well. Refrigerate the slaw for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld.

To assemble your Venison Shank Tacos, warm the corn tortillas in a dry skillet until soft and pliable. Fill each tortilla with a generous portion of shredded venison and top with the tangy apple slaw. Serve with lime wedges on the side to enhance the flavors of your tacos, ready to enjoy!