Traditionally, barbacoa is a preparation of meat usually sheep, goat, or beef that is steam cooked in an underground oven until very tender and succulent.
Today the term is also sometimes used for a similar preparation made on a stovetop or in a slow cooker. Our English term barbecue comes from Caribbean Indian word barbacoa , but despite their common origins, these two words do not denote the same thing. Mexican barbacoa is perhaps the most well-known, and its most popular manifestation is that which is used in the central states of the country. A brick-lined oven, usually about 60 centimeters 23 inches in diameter and about a meter 3 feet deep, is dug into the earth.
Wood is placed at the bottom and burned until the whole oven is red hot. The oven is covered with a metal sheet and a layer of fresh earth, then left overnight for the meat to cook undisturbed. When uncovered, the organs often called pancita de barbacoa and the leaf-wrapped meat are perfectly cooked to tender, moist goodness, and the liquid has turned into a delicious soup. Flautas or tacos dorados are also often to be found at these feasts. Corn tortillas are wrapped around a portion of shredded barbacoa meat and fried or deep fried until golden.
While the above-mentioned type of preparation—or one similar to it— is common to a large portion of the country, each region of Mexico has its particular way of making barbacoa. Venison is sometimes made in barbacoa style in the northern state of Sonora, while chicken is common in some parts of Guerrero State.
Iguana, turkey, rabbit, and other meats are also favored in particular locales. They marinated foods in tropical herbs and spices to enhance natural flavors and preserve them after cooking.
The Barbacoa style of cooking was eventually taken to Mexico, where it still refers to meats slow-roasted over an open fire, or more traditionally, in a fire pit covered with succulent leaves of the maguey plant also known as agave or century plant. It is made from a variety of chiles, onions, garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, sesame seeds, several types of nuts and a small amount of chocolate, the best-known ingredient, which contributes richness to the sauce without adding much sweetness.
Traditionally, game, turkey, and fish, along with beans and other side dishes, were slow cooked in a pit for many hours. Tired of Typos? Get Help Now! Especially associated with Mexican cuisine, barbacoa is a slow-cooking style mostly for shredded or chopped meats, often beef, pork, or lamb over an open fire or fire pit.
This was originally published in several installments in the s. From there, as the barbacoa style of cooking spread as Spanish settlers moved into North America , the word evolved becoming barbecue. Today, barbecue generally refers to grilling meat with various vinegar-, mustard-, or tomato-based sauces, while barbacoa is reserved for Mexican dishes, that are often braised and seasoned with chipotle peppers. Barbacoa is also especially associated with beef-based preparations.
The proliferation of fast and fast-casual Mexican cuisine in the United States has helped popularize barbacoa as a foodie word and menu item.
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