Barbacoa

Barbacoa de Borrego (Pit-Style Lamb Barbacoa)

A weekend tradition from central Mexico: lamb shoulder is marinated in a chile-guajillo paste, wrapped in maguey (agave) leaves, and slow-cooked until it shreds into a rich, smoky consomé. Served in warm corn tortillas with chopped onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.

Prep

40 min

Cook

360 min

Total

400 min

Serves

6 to 8

Difficulty

Hard

Recipe ingredients

• •1.8 kg (4 lb) bone-in lamb shoulder, cut into 3 large chunks; goat shoulder is the more traditional choice in Hidalgo
• •15 g (¾ oz (about 8)) dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
• •4 g (2) dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
• •5 g (½ oz) dried chipotle chile, optional, for smoke; or 1 tsp chipotle in adobo
• •6 g (1 tsp) cumin seeds
• •4 g (1 tsp) black peppercorns
• •4 g cloves
• •10 g (1 Tbsp) Mexican oregano
• •60 ml (¼ cup) white vinegar
• •60 ml (¼ cup) fresh lime juice
• •8 g (2 tsp) fine salt, plus more to taste
• •8 g (6) garlic cloves
• •1 g (¼ tsp) ground cloves
• •1 g (¼ tsp) ground cinnamon, Mexican canela preferred
• •500 ml (2 cups) beef or lamb broth, or water
• •1 kg (2 lb) maguey (agave) leaves, banana leaves are a workable home substitute; layer 2 thick
• •1.5 kg (3 lb) banana leaves, wilted over an open flame, for lining and sealing the pot
• •1 whole (1 medium) white onion, chopped, for serving
• •30 g (1 cup loosely packed) fresh cilantro, chopped, for serving
• •2 whole limes, cut into wedges, for serving
• •36 whole warm corn tortillas, for serving

Steps

1. 1 Make the marinade: Toast the guajillo, ancho, and chipotle chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat, pressing flat with a spatula, about 10 seconds per side until fragrant. Do not burn. Transfer to a bowl and cover with hot water; soak 20 minutes. Drain, reserving 80 ml (⅓ cup) soaking liquid.
2. 2 Blend the soaked chiles with the cumin, peppercorns, whole cloves, oregano, vinegar, lime juice, salt, garlic, ground cloves, cinnamon, and the reserved chile soaking liquid. Blend to a smooth, thick paste, adding broth as needed.
3. 3 Pat the lamb dry and rub thoroughly with the chile paste, working it into the meat and any pockets. Marinate in the refrigerator 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
4. 4 If using banana leaves instead of maguey, hold each leaf briefly over an open flame or hot burner until it softens and turns bright green (this prevents cracking). Line the bottom and sides of a large heavy Dutch oven or stockpot with half the leaves/maguey, letting them hang over the edges.
5. 5 Place the marinated lamb bone-side down in the lined pot. Pour the remaining broth over the meat. Fold the overhanging leaves over the top, then cover with the remaining leaves to form a tight seal.
6. 6 Cover the pot with its lid (or a tight layer of heavy foil beneath the lid to lock in steam). Cook in a 160 °C / 325 °F oven for 5 to 6 hours. The lamb is safely cooked and ready when a fork inserted into the thickest part meets no resistance and pulls apart easily; the internal temperature should read at least 90 °C / 195 °F.
7. 7 Rest the pot, still covered, for 20 minutes. Skim excess fat from the surface of the consomé in the pot and season the broth with salt to taste.
8. 8 Remove the lamb to a board and shred with two forks, discarding bones and large pieces of fat. Moisten the shredded meat with a ladle of the consomé.
9. 9 To serve, set out warm tortillas, the shredded barbacoa, chopped onion, cilantro, lime wedges, and small bowls of the hot consomé. Guests build tacos and sip the consomé alongside.
10. 10 Safety and storage: Refrigerate leftover meat and consomé in separate containers within 2 hours of cooking and consume within 3 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat thoroughly to 74 °C / 165 °F before serving.