Name: Mexican Barbecued Lamb Barbacoa
Yield: Serves 8
Cuisine: Mexico
Ingredients: 1 zucchini, scrubbed and cut into ½-inch dice; 2 bay leaves, 2 sprigs cilantro, and 2 sprigs epazote (optional), tied in a piece of cheesecloth; ½ leg of lamb bone-in (about 4 pounds), trimmed of any papery skin; 1 medium-size onion, cut into ½-inch dice; ½ teaspoon dried oregano; 1 ear corn (optional), shucked and cut into ½-inch rounds; ¼ medium-size onion, coarsely chopped; ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves; 1 chipotle pepper, minced (see Chile Notes); 5 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped; 6 guajillo chiles (see Chile Notes); Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice; ¼ cup distilled white vinegar; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 small piece (½ inch) cinnamon stick, or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; Warm tortillas; 1 piece (12 ounces) calabaza (West Indian pumpkin) or butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice; ½ small green cabbage, cored and cut into ½-inch dice; 1 large ripe tomato, cut into ½-inch dice; 1 medium-size potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice; 2 whole allspice berries; 2 whole cloves

Preparation info

Serves
8

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Barbecue Bible

By Steven Raichlen

Published 1998

About

Mexico’s answer to barbecue, barbacoa is intriguingly delicious and easy to adapt for the backyard barbecue grill. I’ve chosen a recipe for Oaxacan-style barbacoa, featuring a guajillo chile marinade and a wrapping of avocado leaves. The avocado leaves can be found dried at Mexican markets and specialty food shops and impart a pleasant aniselike flavor. But don’t worry if you can’t find avocado leaves because the lamb will still be quite delectable barbecued without a wrapping