Easy Barbacoa

Want really authentic barbacoa?  Well, do you have a spare goat or lamb hanging around? And a nice deep hole to slide in a side of beef, then covered with large agave leaves?  No?  Well, neither do we (our condo association won’t allow deep holes on our balconies).  If you want something close to authentic, then you came to the right place.  We have an easy barbacoa recipe that comes together quickly, and it is amazingly delicious.

There is lots of history behind just the word “barbacoa” (it’s not originally Mexican – check out the Wikipedia article for more info) – and it is one of the earliest forms of barbecue in the Western hemisphere. In contemporary Mexico, it is a method of wood-fired slow-cooking in a pit or container that is covered with agave leaves (or banana leaves in some places), which steams or braises the meats rather than roasting. The key to barbacoa is to start with a meat that is relatively high in fat content, and has a somewhat strong flavor.  In our recipe, we chose something that is easy to find, and somewhat economical (although these days, the inflation bug is hitting every part of the grocery store):  Chuck roast.

We went all the way with our version, making a really easy salsa verde and homemade corn tortillas.  It turns out corn tortillas are very easy to make – and SO much better than the store-bought brands, with unpronounceable additives. There are so many easy recipes, but we really like this YouTube video at Villa Cocina:

Easy Barbacoa

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Course Main Dish

Cuisine Mexican

Ingredients

  

• 8 ounces extra firm tofu It is important to use extra firm
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 2 tablespoons neutral vegetable oil We use grapeseed oil
• 2 scallion Sliced, on a bias
• 1/2 medium Sweet onion Julienne sliced
• 3 cups Vegetables We used snow peas, shredded carrots, and broccolini
• 1 bottle Serious Foodie Tamarillo Grill Sauce Go to shop.serious-foodie.devsquad.tech to order
• Salt and Pepper To taste

Instructions

 

• Pat dry both sides of the steak.  Liberally season the steak with the Serious Foodie Seattle Espresso Rub.  Wrap the seasoned flank steak tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Sthe sauce over medium heat until it is reduced by one half. Add the mustard, rosemary, . Cook on low heat until the sauce is thick.
• Remove the steak from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking; pre-heat a gas or charcoal grill.
• To make the sauce: add the olive oil to a sauce pan, and heat over medium. Add the minced garlic, and saute until fragrant, about 60 to 90 seconds. Immediately add the wine and soy sauce, and reduce by 1/2 (about 5 minutes). Stir in the Dijon mustard, rosemary, brown sugar, and optional cayenne pepper. Simmer until desired thickness is achieved.
• Place the steak on the grill, and cook to desired doneness - about 6 minutes per side for rare. It's best not to over-cook flank steak.
• Transfer the steak to a plate, and let stand for 5 minutes before carving. Cut the steak across the grain, and serve with the sauce and the optional arugula fennel salad - see https://serious-foodie.devsquad.tech/versatile-vinaigrettes/

Notes

Some people have asked "what about the bright red color we see from tandoori chicken at our local restaurant?"  The red color comes from food coloring.  If you want red color, we suggest using annatto paste, which can be found in most Latin American grocery stores.  One teaspoon added to the yogurt marinade works just fine.

This same marinade works well with lamb, or a meaty fish such as swordfish.

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