Texas Barbacoa

Wampus

Wampus

somebody shut me the fark up.
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I don't know if any of you have seen the show on the Travel Channel called, "The Wild Within", but it's officially my new favorite show of all time. LOVE that show. I won't rant on any more about the show itself, not in Q-Talk. If you want to know more, google is your friend.:becky:


However.....this past Sunday, the episode took place in west TX on a ranch. He hunted a couple of native animals, one was a type of sheep and one was a type of wild hog. After the hunt, they used a method of cooking called a barbacoa (I think that's spelled right?). He said it was something special to the region.

It didn't look much more complicated than just what I've seen as an underground pit like I've seen a hog roasted on/in. They didn't actually cook the animals whole, but parted them out and after seasoning with rub, wrapped the pieces in foil, then burlap, then soaked the burlap and placed on what looked like some sort of steel over hot coals, then covered the whole pit with a piece of sheet metal, then sealed the edges with dirt to keep the heat in.


I thought about the TX Brethren while watching this last night (DVR). Anyone out there done this and is it really a Texas thing? Anything unique about it that makes it different than a "hog in the ground"?
 
I thought barbacoa was a Mexican thing. Except from my understanding it is cooked using the method you described, but it is a cows head. Once cooked the meat is removed from the skull. I have also saw a thread on here a while back about barbacoa made with cheek meat from the super market. I'm not from Texas, so this is just my understanding of it. I do however know that when I was driving a truck over the road, I had Tacos de barbocoas at a little Mexican resturant wes of Houston and they were some of the best tacos I have had!!
 
I am pretty sure barbacoa is a method of cooking (barbecue)not a actual cut....all tho I love the head method described above. Different parts of mexico have their own unique way of doing this dish. My wife comes from southern mexico by Acapulco and theirs is different then some one from Chihuahua.

Cheek (cachete) tacos are some of the best out there by the way
 
Glad someone else likes the show! Did you see the Hawaii one? That is the most authentic show on Hawaiian culture, I've seen so far. Shows you how to do the "Hawaiian Imu", their version of an underground pit. Check it out.
I don't have the link handy...
 
It's a beef cheeks thing here in San Antonio. A traditional Sunday breakfast meal in our Mexican community. There is a place I used to go where the Barbacoa was top notch! But I only liked the all meat stuff. The "mix" was just to much for this bohonk! I big dollop on a hot corn tortilla with some hot salsa, a touch of salt and a steaming hot cup of coffee...Oh baby!!
 
I love "The Wild Within"! That's the kind of cooking show I want. lol
To be paid to travel around, hunt, fish and then cook ... that would be my dream job. :-D
 
That is a good show, it shows hunting in the kind of light I wish most hunting shows would show it. It shows the work, the kill and the feeling of it. Not just killing, and not always successful.

As for barbacoa, I have had it with goat and beef, never had it with javelina. Like Zilla said, it is some good food with a fresh tortilla and a little salsa.
 
cowgirl said:
I love "The Wild Within"! That's the kind of cooking show I want. lol
To be paid to travel around, hunt, fish and then cook ... that would be my dream job. :-D
Click to expand...



AMEN!:thumb:
 
Cheek meat from all kinds of animals (including fish) is a delicacy in many cultures around the world....usually braised. For me it has to be pulled and "meat only" if ya know what I mean. Sometimes you find tongue (another VERY misunderstood muscle) mixed in with it. I'm originally from West Texas and barbacoa is awesome!
 
I forgot to mention, but yes.....on the episode I'm talking about they actually did cook a steer's head on the barbacoa as well. Everyone said it was the favorite and a delicasy.

So to my original question: I assume "barbacoa" is just another name for an underground pit or type of cook? Seems like it to me.

Always interested to learn more about more cooking methods!!!
 
Definition: "Mexican Barbecue"
The term "barbecue" is used loosely. Barbacoa is not a method of grilling something over an open flame. Traditional Mexican barbacoa is completely different. It essentially steams and smokes the meat at the same time resulting in a moist and flavorful meat.
First, the head of a cow or goat meat is wrapped in maguey or banana leaves.
A cauldron of hot water is placed in a pit about 3 feet deep with hot coals in the bottom. A grill is placed on top of the cauldron and the meat is placed there. Vegetables, beans and spices are sometimes added to the pot for a soup. The pit is then sealed and covered with damp earth.
Traditionally, the type of meat used is from the head of the cow. Lamb or pork is also used. Nowadays "barbacoa" can refer to meat that is just slow cooked and tender.

Pronunciation: bar-bah-COH-ah
 
I'm not a rocket surgeon, but if you study the etymology of the word "barbecue" if believe that barbacoa is there in the roots. But I could be wrong.
 
definitely mexican, but served and enjoyed by many in texas...(not so much in zona or california?)

not a "technique" and no relation to US bbq in its origin

no one in mexico equates barbacoa and US bbq

zilla is right about barbacoa on fresh corn tortillas ...very very good

draw a line across texas that runs east / west through san antonio and barbacoa is as common hot dogs south of the line

just my $0.02
 
There are many forms of barbacoa. Not just Mexican. I assume there can be a Texan version as well. Barbacoa can be steamed or simply cooked over an open fire.

Smoked US bbq has nothing really in common with barbacoa. Traditional bbq in Virgina and North & South Carolina stemmed from the Caribbean barbecoa and is still, to this day, cooked over live coals. This is the most basic form of barbacoa...and it defines our bbq roots and heritage.
 
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