Barbacoa Hidalgo

This recipe is more than just slow-cooked lamb—it’s a centuries-old tradition from the heart of Mexico. In Hidalgo, families have been cooking lamb underground in earth ovens since pre-Hispanic times, using maguey leaves to lock in flavour & tenderness. It’s a dish that brings people together—shared at weddings, fiestas & weekend gatherings. The smoky aroma, the tender meat, the salsa on top… every bite tells a story of heritage, community & pure Mexican soul.
SPICINESS
SERVES
4
COOKING TIME
6 hours
Ingredients
- 2 kg free-range lamb shoulder w/bones
- 100 ml white vinegar
- 150 g rice
- 250 g chickpeas
- 4 morita chillies
- 2 carrots
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 onion
- Banana leaves
- Rock Salt
- 1/2 bunch coriander
- 2 limes
- Salsa verde with arbol chilli
Cooking Instructions
- Chuck the meat in a pot with water & 100ml of vinegar, let it rest for one hour with the lid on. (This helps tone down the lamb’s strong flavour.)
- Once that’s done, give the meat a good rinse & then season it with just rock salt.
- In the steamer, add some water with the rice, chickpeas, morita chillies, sliced carrots, garlic & half an onion. This will help cook the meat & create a beaut stock.
- Since it’s tricky to find maguey at home, we’ll use banana leaves instead. Roast them directly over the flame, then place them in the steamer to make a bed for the meat.
- Place the meat on top, cover it with the banana leaves, then wrap everything up with aluminium foil & put the lid on.
- Cook over high heat until it starts to boil., then drop it down to a very low simmer. Let it cook for 6 hours.
- After 6 hours, check if the meat’s nice & tender. Remove the bones & shred the meat.
- Dice th other half onion & chop fresh coriander.
- In a very hot dry frying pan, heat your tortillas until soft, hot & floppy. Wrap in a tea towel until ready to serve.
- Place some Barbacoa on each tortilla, add the chopped onion & coriander along with some salsa verde with arbol chillies.
¡Buen provecho!
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