Lamb Barbacoa in Adobo

Barbacoa is one of those iconic Mexican foods.

Juicy, tender meat that falls off the bone, infused with a rustic, smoky flavor and a jungle like fragrance. It uses a cooking technique that began in ancient times, long before the Spanish arrived, and it lives on to this day across Mexico in places that specialize in making it. Of course, there are accessible homestyle versions too.

Abroad, so many people have heard of barbacoa and want to have a taste of the real thing. The people I’ve talked to that have tried it are dying to repeat the experience. In Mexico it has never ever gone out of fashion, and it is especially rooted in the central part of the country, where I grew up.

True, that barbacoa sounds much like barbeque. Though it is from a type of barbacoa that Americans got the idea to cook barbeque, it’s not the Mexican kind, but the Native American found here in the US, which used to be outdoors and above the ground. In Mexico we call ours barbacoa too (thanks to the Spanish!), but the Mexican way is completely different: the meat is wrapped tightly in banana leaves, cooked for many (so very many!) hours in an underground pit with an initial heating base of burning wood, walls of brick and smoldering rocks that are sealed with a kind of clay, and finally steamed and cooked overnight.

If you haven’t tried it, this is your chance to make it! And no, you don’t need an underground pit, there are ways to go about it and you can cook it away while you are tucked away in your bed…

barbacoa 1

The most common meat to use for barbacoa is lamb, goat or mutton, which fits the rustic nature of the barbacoa so well, as these meats are so gamey. I go for a meaty lamb leg or shoulder, bone in. But there is also barbacoa of other milder meats, even chicken.

There are variations for what the thick marinade of the meat should be. I like to make a version I’ve tweaked over the years based off two takes: one is the basic rub that has been used for decades in a restaurant in Mexico City called El Caballo Bayo -where my dad used to go for take out to make barbacoa tacos some Sundays- and the other contains more spices, vegetables and grains from a recipe that my mother makes, which was passed down from her nana.

You can make the marinade, which looks more like a paste… ahead of time too. Aside from the guajillo and ancho chiles, it has tomato, garlic and onion.

barbacoa 2

Then it has oregano, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, and a good dose of salt and ground pepper.

The chiles are first quickly toasted and rehydrated in simmering in water.

barbacoa 3

You can of course do whatever you want with the water that the chiles were simmering in, but if you want my opinion: DON’T ever throw it ALL away, EVER! That liquid has a ton of flavor and color, and you really want it in your dish. You really do.

Just look at the depth of color.

barbacoa 4

Pour it in the blender along with the rest of the ingredients.

barbacoa 5

After blending, the mixture should be nice and smooth. After seasoning it in a pan, just letting it simmer down, it should develop a deeper, richer color.

Rub this all over the meat and marinate anywhere from a couple hours to a day. The more your marinade it the better.

barbacoa 6

If you want to really give it the rustic kick, place the wet meat on banana leaves, which will help keep it moist and juicy and add a grassy, fresh, aroma and flavor to the meat. The steam bath in the leaves gives it a jungle-y warm flavor; as if you were really cooking the meat in an earth pit.

Then place that bundle on the roasting rack of a roasting pan. If you aren’t able to find banana leaves, you can just wrap the top of the roasting pan before it goes in the oven.

barbacoa 7

Before wrapping up the meat in the banana leaves, place some fresh or dried avocado leaves on top of the meat. They will add extra depth and a flavor similar to anise (but don’t eat them later!). Again, if you can’t find them, don’t worry, you can skip them.

barbacoa 8

On the bottom of the roasting pan, add all the vegetables: carrots, potatoes and garbanzo beans.

Place the wrapped meat on the rack over the vegetables and as the meat cooks, some of the juices will run out of the bottom of the banana leaves, creating a rich broth for the vegetables to cook in. Those vegetables, after absorbing all that flavor and cooking so long, bring about a lot of depth and sweetness, at the same time.

barbacoa 9

Then wrap up the top of the roasting pan in foil really tight. Remember this is to make up for not cooking it in an underground closed pit. And place it in the oven.

Once done, remove the meat from the oven, give it a little time to cool down and unwrap the foil and banana leaves. Be careful, because the steam that comes out will be burning hot.

While I love American barbecue in the summer, Mexican barbacoa is a perfect dish for the winter months. Cooking the meat in the oven for hours will fill your home with amazing smells and warmth; not to mention a bounty of incredibly flavorful food.

All you do is shred the meat in big chunks, have the vegetables on the side, invite some friends over and start making some tacos, there is a lot to share here. Dig in!

p.s. It’s even better with some salsa verde on the side.

Note: I researched, tested, tasted, edited and submitted this recipe to The Washington Post for an article published on February 24, 2010.

Ingredients

For the marinade:

10 dried guajillo chile peppers stemmed and seeded
10 dried ancho chile peppers stemmed and seeded
5 cups water
1/3 cups apple cider vinegar
1 medium Roma tomato cut into quarters
1/2 medium white onion coarsely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
3 medium cloves garlic
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 whole cloves stems removed
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
3 tablespoons safflower or vegetable oil

For the vegetable base:

2 medium white onions coarsely chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 pounds carrots peeled and cut crosswise into chunks
1 1/2 pounds red potatoes peeler and cut into large cubes
8 ounces dried garbanzo beans soaked overnight in 3 cups of very hot water, then drained
12 ounces light colored beer such as Corona, 1 bottle
3 cups water
A few bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt

For the meat:

8 pounds bone-in leg or shoulder of lamb or both
1 pound Banana leaves
5 to 6 fresh or dried avocado leaves optional

For assembly:

Lime wedges for serving
Warmed corn tortillas

To Prepare

To make the marinade:

Heat a large, dry skillet over medium heat. Add the dried chile peppers and toast them for no more than 20 seconds per side, taking care not to burn them.
Transfer them to a medium saucepan and add the water, place over medium heat and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the peppers have softened and rehydrated.
Transfer the peppers to a blender. Add 2 cups of their cooking liguid (discard the remaining liquid), the vinegar, tomato, onion, garlic, oregano, cinnamon, allspice, black pepper, cloves (stems removed) and salt; puree until smooth.
Wipe out the medium saucepan and add the oil. Place over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the pureed marinade, being careful to avoid any splatters. Partially cover, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the color darkens and the mixture thickens to a pastelike consistency.
Rinse the lamb and pat dry with paper towels. Place in in a large, nonreactive dish. Use the marinade to cover it completely, rubbing the mixture into the meat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.

To make the vegetable base:

Just before the lamb is finished marinating, prepare the vegetable base. Have a large roasting pan at hand with a rack that fits inside, preferable with some space underneath. Remove the lamb from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before you place it in the over.
Combine the onions, carrots, potatoes, and soaked and drained garbanzo beans in a large raosting pan. Pour the beer and water over the top. Add the bay leaves and season with salt to taste; toss to combine. Place the roasting rack over the mixture.

To make the meat:

Preheat the over to 325 degrees.
Unfold the banana leaves and arrange a few layers of them on the roasting rack, leaving a generous amound of overlap on the pan long sides for wrapping the meat (alternatively, you may use a few long pieces of aluminum foil). Place the meat on top of the leaves and use all of the marinade to cover it. PLace the avocado leaves, if using, on top of the meat, then fold the leaves over to cover the meat. If using the foil, poke a few small holes near the bottom edges to allow the meats juices to fall into the vegetable base below during cooking. The juices will natually fall through the spaces between the banana leaves.
Cover the banana leaf package or foil package tightly with a layer of foil. Slow-roast for 8 to 10 hours; until the meat comes off the bone easily and the vegetables should be well seasoned and tender. Transfer to the stovetop (off of the heat), and let everything rest for 15 to 20 minutes before opening the package. Discard the avocado leaves, if using.

To assemble:

Serve with lime wedges, warmed corn tortilla and a salsa you like.

Comments

106comments inLamb Barbacoa in Adobo

Adam

Feb 11

Here’s my trick to simulate digging a pit…which for some reason my wife won’t let me do.
I smoke lamb in my regular Weber with apple wood at a very low temp through indirect heat. 2 hours
Then … wrap in banana leaves and put it into the oven to slow cook till finish.
¡Buen provecho!

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Feb 13
  
  I think your technique is perfect, let’s save the pit for some other time, haha!!!!
  
Tammy B.

Apr 19

Hello, Pati! I enjoy your show and just recently tried barbacoa beef and loved. Even my picky hubby loved it. Question, could I halfall the ingredients to make a smaller batch without compromising flavor? There’s only 2, sometimes 3, of us. Or could I put freeze half with the marinade?

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Apr 27
  
  Yes Tammy, go ahead and half the recipe, it should work well. Enjoy 😉
  
p

Mar 05

This is amazing! My home smells just as I remember as a child and wow does it welcome the neighbors. Depth of flavor is perfect..As a child, i was never told Barbacoa was lamb-lol-ate every vegetable but couldn’t do meat. Just made in honor of my papa-26 years ago he transitioned from this realm. Thank you for sharing your recipes and all the beauty of Mexico!

1. Pati
  
  Mar 06
  
  What a great way to honor your dad. I’m so happy to hear that the recipe brought back such good childhood memories.
  
Claire

Oct 20

Hi Pati,

If I can’t find the chillies required (still tricky to find in Australia!), how much of a Mexican spice blend would you recommend?

Thank you 🙂

1. Pati
  
  Oct 30
  
  Hmm in the US Mexican-spice blends usually don’t have the types of chiles that the recipe calls for…so it may not be a good substitution, Claire. Have you tried looking for the dried chiles online?
  
Carie

Nov 07

I just want to ask what can I use to substitute to the tomatillo because I can’t find it here in the Philippines. Filipinos tend to use ingredients that they are used to that is why it was hard to find ingredients that is not from here. And I just want to ask if I can have a recipe for the annato paste because I can’t find it here as well but We have here the ingredients needed to make it. Thank you.

1. Pati
  
  Nov 15
  
  The lamb barbacoa recipe uses regular tomatoes (I like Roma). And I don’t have a recipe for the achiote paste…
  
2. Glenn
  
  Apr 09
  
  Hi Pati – I’m a huge fan and love this recipe and your show
  Hi Carie – I’m a fellow Filipino and can offer you some help with the ingredients. My wife is Mexican. We can help answer your questions although they are not part of this recipe for barbacoa.
  Tomatillos may look like green unripe tomatoes but are much more tart/sour. You can try and use a green tomato and add some lime juice (or calamansi juice since it’s much easier to find)
  As far as the Achiote Paste is concerned, you probably already know if mostly annato (achuete) seeds ground up with cloves, coriander, cumin, oregano, all spice, black pepper, fresh garlic and lime or calamansi juice should get you pretty close to it. Hope this helps. Good to see some interest in Mexican cuisine from the Philippines. The love and care Pati puts in her cooking is very close to what I would find in many Filipino homes
  
  1. Pati
    
    Apr 12
    
    Thanks for tuning in Glenn and for sharing this information with Carie! You can also read more about achiote paste here: http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/achiote_paste/ and tomatillos: http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/tomatillos1/
    
JoshR

May 17

Pati,
I have been wanting to smoke a leg of lamb and have been going back and forth with a few ideas. Would you recommend hanging and smoking the leg after removing it from the marinade?

1. Pati
  
  May 19
  
  I actually love the barbacoa cooked in a long braise, but you can of course try it smoked too and let me know how it turns out!
  
Keninseb

Mar 03

Hola Pati, muchos saludos!!!! que Dios te siga bendiciendo, tengo un pregunta, quedaria bien esta receta en el slow cooker?

1. Pati
  
  Mar 10
  
  Claro!
  
P

Nov 25

AMAZINGLY WOW!!!!! Big hit!!! On personal side, I am missing little bit heat in it. What would you recommend to add to marinade to add little bit spice it?

1. Pati
  
  Dec 03
  
  So happy t o hear! Need more heat? You can add a couple of dried chipotle peppers, that will do…
  
Carmen Velarde

Jan 12

Hola Patti. Veo su show en Create cuando puedo. Quisiera saber si tiene la receta de El Vanidoso cake, mi amiga mejicana lo probo y le encanto y hemos estado buscando la receta sin exito.
Gracias y muy feliz y exitoso ano nuevo.
Carmen

1. Pati
  
  Jan 26
  
  Hola Carmen! Qué buena idea! Voy a tratar de subir mi receta para el pastel vanidoso muy pronto. Muchas gracias por ver mi programa.
  
Antonio

Dec 31

Hola Pati, soy el hermano de Fer Orendain. Estaba buscando una receta de Barbacoa y me encontre con tu blog, asi que ya estare siguiendote por aqui. Ademas te comento de que por coincidencia hace unos años compre tu libro, sin saber que que eras tu (por tu apellido de casada) y me encanto. Vivo en Houston, asi que de vez en cuando me gusta cocinar platillos mexicanos. Gusto en saludarte.

1. Pati
  
  Jan 02
  
  Hola Antonio,
  Qué gran gusto saludarte! Que bueno que te gustan las recetas que ves por aquí… Voy a ir a Houston al book tour de mi nuevo libro en Abril, espero verlos por ahí!
  
Victor

Dec 22

Pati…i loved you receipe. Can you do this on a Slow Cooker? Crock pot? If so, please let me know what you would do different.

1. Pati
  
  Dec 23
  
  Yes you can! Just add it all in the crock pot without the banana leaves 🙂
  
Nanci

Dec 14

Hi Pati!

I’m your newest fan. Today I prepared a meal for my family. I was scared but confident of the outcome of my dishes based on the feedback you have received on your post. I cooked Chicken Tinga, Unforgettable Chepe’s Rice, and Lamb Barbacoa in Adobo. Also, I made the green salsa, for the dishes, and the white conchas for dessert. The meals were yummy, and the portions were just right since I cooked for 12 people. All my family rated me a 9.5 out of a 10 rating.

For Christmas I am going to prepare the bunuelos and the ponche.

Thanks for sharing your recipes and responding to our comments. I wish I could have attached pictures of the finished product.

1. Pati
  
  Dec 14
  
  Wow!!! Thank you so much for trying my recipes! I’m thrilled your family liked them!
  
Yas

Jul 31

Can you recommend a non-alcoholic substitute for the beer? Thanks

1. Pati
  
  Aug 01
  
  You can just use water, or chicken or veggie broth instead.
  
Renée

Mar 13

Oh, PS, I had extra adobo and a block of tofu in the fridge, so I sliced it up and am marinating it overnight too. Going to try baking it in a foil packet with a piece of banana leaf for the last hour or two before the pork is ready and am excited to see how it goes, will report back! :o)

1. Pati
  
  Mar 13
  
  Very interesting! Let me know how it turns out!!
  
  1. Renée
    
    Mar 15
    
    Hola Pati, everybody loved both the pork and tofu versions of this! I was very worried about the veggies burning during the long cooking time and added extra beer to compensate, but it was definitely not necessary and I will trust the process as written next time. I think for the next round I will plan to try this with goat. Thanks again for the beautiful recipe!
    
Renée

Mar 13

Pati, thank you for your beautiful website and recipes! I was excited to find frozen banana leaves at the store (no luck with avocado leaves, though, even at the Mexican grocer). I’m going to try making this tomorrow, but with Boston Butt instead of lamb. My brother and I just made the adobo and set the meat up to marinate; boy does it smell delicious! We will accompany with corn tortillas and salsa verde as you recommend, Coronas and homemade almond horchata for drinks, then fresh papaya with lime juice and Tajín for dessert! Can’t wait.

1. Pati
  
  Mar 13
  
  Oh my! You are making me so hungry! Enjoy!!
  
C Wauschek

Mar 09

Hola patti, im looking for a dish my mom made during Lent. It was shrimp patties with Mexican style tomatoe sauce on top. Do you have a recipe for this

1. Pati
  
  Mar 12
  
  It is in my cookbook! I haven’t uploaded it to my blog yet…
  
ken

Mar 09

hi pati! what can be a substitute for the guajillo and ancho peppers? can i use paprika and cayenne instead?

1. Pati
  
  Mar 09
  
  Hola Ken, I recommend the guajillos and anchos for the best result. However, if you need to replace with a powdered chile, I suggest a ground Mexican chile blend. Let me know how it turns out. 🙂
  
cecilia w.

Feb 06

Hi Patti, i watch your show on create. Im the same way, love to see my young men enjoy my spanich cooking. Keep the good work, comming this way.

1. Pati
  
  Feb 09
  
  Thank you!!
  
  1. val
    
    Apr 30
    
    Are you sure the temperatur should be 325 F ? It seems so high for 8-10 hours. Ive slow roasted pork shoulder at 225 for 9 hours and that was perfect?
    
    1. Pati
      
      May 04
      
      This has worked for me! =)
      
Jennifer

Nov 30

Would venison work with this same recipe?

1. Pati
  
  Dec 01
  
  Yes, you may try it with venison. Let me know how it turns out!
  
Emy

Nov 13

This looks incredible! I am planning to make this over Christmas for my family. I will certainly make the salsa verde with it, but any other suggestions on what to serve with/along side this? Thank you for sharing your passion and love for food!

1. Pati
  
  Nov 14
  
  Hola Emy, I’m so happy you want to make it for your family! I like to serve it with the vegetables that roast with the lamb, salsa, and some warm tortillas.
  
Rosh

Oct 28

Thank you so much for the recipe! I am from Jordan and lamb is definitely a major staple in my household, never realized barbacoa was made with lamb and I am beyond excited! In response to your reply above regarding using 4-6 lbs of meat would you recommend cutting ALL the ingredients in half or just slightly reduce? Thanks again!

1. Pati
  
  Oct 29
  
  Hola Rosh, I hope you try the barbacoa! You can make the full recipe for the marinade and vegetables.
  
Susan

Apr 15

Hi, Pati —
If I make this in a slow cooker, still use a rack for veggies? And same amount of liquid? sounds delish! I think I can get banana leaves, but if not, would I seal the roast in foil on the rack in the cooker (piercing holes so juices flow into veggies)?

thanks

1. Pati
  
  Apr 16
  
  Hi Susan, So happy you are going to try this recipe! In the slow cooker, place the veggies under the rack so they are swimming in the liquid (yes, same amount of liquid). Put the roast in the foil on the rack and poke a few holes in the foil near the bottom edges of the roast so the juices can run out.
  
john

Feb 08

Pati, last year on one of your episodes you made your sons favorite Birthday cake. It looked so good my daughter wants one for her birthday, would you please send us the recipe. My daughter and I just love watching your show, and she just said to tell you hi, and that she is hungry for your cake. We love you and your show. Thank you. John and Kaylee Wade

1. Pati
  
  Feb 10
  
  Haha! Please say hi to your daughter for me! here it goes: http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/2009/05/jujus_chocolate_birthday_cake/
  
Tony

Feb 01

Hi Pati,
First, love your show! This recipe is outstanding and I can’t wait to try it. I was wondering if a 6qt crock pot would work?

1. Pati
  
  Feb 01
  
  Thanks Tony, I am sure it will!
  
Patt

Dec 19

Pati,

This recipe sounds delicious and I plan to try it. I have one question, if I use half of the amount of meat (4lbs instead of 8) will cooking time be the same?

Thank you,

Patt

1. Pati
  
  Dec 19
  
  You can take a 1/3 off ; )
  
Nicole Ball

Dec 13

Hi Pati,
I am so excited to make this for my extended family gathering. I’ll be doubling the recipe and using two ovens as I need to feed 24 people. Do you think the marinade would hold up in the freezer for 2 weeks?

Thanks,
Nicole

1. Pati
  
  Dec 14
  
  Absolutely, Nicole!
  
MadChef

Sep 10

What are the fresh leaves you are adding in the picture along with the dried avocado leaves? Is it epazote?

1. Pati
  
  Sep 13
  
  Hola! They are fresh avocado leaves.
  
  1. MadChef
    
    Sep 14
    
    Thanks! They look so light a delicate, I thought it was an herb.
    
Madi

Aug 09

Hi, I was just wondering if I could accomplish this dish in a crock pot rather than the oven. If so would you change anything in the prep? Thank you!

1. Pati
  
  Aug 16
  
  Hola Madi, Yes you can!! And you don’t need to change anything in the preparation.
  
Laura

Jun 23

Hi Pati, I love your recipes – I’ve tried a few of the soups! We want to try doing traditional barbacoa by digging a pit in the backyard. What cut of lamb do you recommend, and do you think bone-in or boneless is better? Can you recommend any web resources for general instructions?

1. Pati
  
  Jun 23
  
  Hi Laura,
  Leg and shoulder and definitely bone in, for a backyard pit ; )
  I have not built one myself Laura! So I don’t think I can give you clear and precise instructions on how to build one…
  
Sandra Sanchez

Jun 02

Hi Pati,
I stumbled on your website while looking for ideas for a backyard Mexican themed wedding. My family always served Birria for our weddings and Quincenerias…It is delicious! My question is, what type of carne de res can I use for this recipe instead of the lamb?

Gracias!

1. Pati
  
  Jun 02
  
  Hi Sandra,
  You may want to substitute for Beef Chuck roast or Beek brisket, but leave the fat on!
  
Bobbi

May 13

Pati this was WONDERFUL!!! I couldn’t afford the lamb so I used Boston Butt (@ 98 cents a lb.) and I made it on Mother’s Day. I had the kids over and my youngest son’s GF and mother who are from Cuba. It was a BIG hit!! Opening the banana leaves added a little fun to the festivities. And, with our small crowd 10 lbs of meat disappeared very quickly along with the veggies, some corn on the cob and these odd little plantain wraps I just kind of threw together!!!

I tell everyone who will listen about you (you’re adorable) and your show – every recipe I’ve tried is DEEELIIIIISSSHH!! Thank you Thank you 🙂 Bobbi

1. Pati
  
  May 13
  
  Hi Bobbi, Thank you so much for making this dish for your family on Mother’s Day! It’s good to know Boston Butt works as a substitute for lamb — so happy you shared!!
  
Leo

May 03

Ok, my apologies. I just put together the fact that you were the one who wrote the recipe in the Post.

Sorry!

1. Pati
  
  May 03
  
  Haha! No worries, Leo!! Thank you for writing to me.
  
Leo

May 03

This recipe looks great. However, it would have been more ethical had you noted that you copied it verbatim from the February 24, 2010 edition of The Washington Post. We food bloggers have a responsibility to respect the copyrights of others.

1. Pati
  
  May 29
  
  Hi Leo,
  That recipe in the Washington Post happens to be mine!!! I gave it to Bonnie Benwick from The Washington Pots precisely for that article. I researched it, edited, tasted and tested it precisely for that piece.
  
Josefina

May 02

Hola Pati, me encanta ver tu programa en el canal CREATE. Estoy orgullosa que una Mexicana tenga su programa en ingles. Deseo saber si sabes la receta del pastel “el vanidoso”?

Te lo agradeceria mucho.

Gracias! 🙂

1. Pati
  
  May 02
  
  Hola Josefina!
  Platícame cómo es… tal vez lo conozco con otro nombre…
  
Tiffany

Apr 29

Hi Patti…
I made this over the weekend with a 2kg leg of lamb…After 8 hours the lamb was delicious, but the vegetables were dry and completely burnt!! I am hoping to make it again this weekend for 20 people using a large leg of lamb and a shoulder. I also wanted to serve with consome and hoped the drippings from this weekends lamb would help make that 🙁 I wonder what you suggest 1) How to avoid the vegetables burning this week and 2) how to make a consome without drippings (can I make it with bones)….
Thank you for your help.

1. Pati
  
  May 02
  
  Hi Tiffany,
  I would suggest for you to double up the water and beer! Also, was it all very well covered? Is the baking dish too thin? If so maybe you want to add a baking sheet under…
  
Michelle

Apr 24

do you recommend a specific type of Beef I can use for this beef? I would love to try and make this, but I do not eat lamb. Thank you in advance!

1. Pati
  
  Apr 25
  
  Hi Michelle, You can make it with either a boneless beef chuck roast or beef brisket.
  
Shundara

Mar 16

I love barbacoa but I could never find a recipe that was tastefully done; I am going to try it with beef lam is so hard to come by… I am so happy you shared this one with us…

1. Pati
  
  Mar 18
  
  Thank you!!
  
consuelo

Jan 10

Me and my husband love your show. Does your cookbook have every recipe that you have or have made on your show?

1. Pati
  
  Jan 14
  
  Hola Consuelo, My cookbook has some recipes from the show…and some that I have been saving!!
  
Vanessa

Jan 09

Hi Pati,
I just discovered your website today and am so excited to try some of your recipes! My mom is from mexico city and I know she would love to have this here at home (Ottawa). Do you have advice in terms of cooking time per pound for the lamb barbacoa? I would love to try this but on a smaller scale for 4-6 people. If you cut the meat by half, do you reduce the cooking time by half as well? Thanks!

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Jan 09
  
  Hi Vanessa, I’m glad you found my site! Are you making the lamb for your mom? For 4-6 people, I would try to find a 4-6 pound lamb shoulder. You still want to slow roast, but you can check it at 4 hours. It’s ready when the meat is falling off the bone.
  
naikely

Jan 05

hola pati! me llamo naikely y siempre veo tu programa. aunque soy cubana disfruto mucho aprender de otra culturas como lo es la mexicana. me encanta tu sencillez y tu manera de exponer tus recetas. cada vez que termina el programa me dan ganas de ir a la cocina a probar alguna de ellas, de hecho estoy pensando probar la de lamb barbacoa en adobo pero tenia la duda los chiles que usas… son muy picantes? es que no quisiera que mis invitados se llevaran una sorpresa ya que una vez me paso que compre el chile equivocado y no pudimos ni empezar a comer de lo picante…gracias por mostrarle al mundo lo rico de la comida latina y aunque no somos compatriotas disfruto mucho de saber que estas poniendo nuestro nombre en muy en alto..! gracias pati!

Sue Hale Hayes

Nov 27

Mujo Grazias. Saw Last night Late On CREATE & Could Not Write Down FAST Enough. We Will Have SOON! Thank You,Miss.Pati!

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Nov 29
  
  Thank you, Sue. I hope you do try the recipe.
  
Sara

Oct 29

Pati apenas alguien me dijo de tu programa y como lo he disfrutado. A mi me trajeron de Mexico de nina pero las comidas tipicas no se me olvidan! Si embargo mi mama(ya fallecio) no dejo muchas recetas y ahora puedo cocinar algunas de tus recetas. Muchas gracias!!!

Sandra

Jul 28

Hi My name is Sandra.
I want to make home made tamalies:)
I want to make every thing from scratch!
Grind. My corn every thing.
Would appreciate your. Help!
Thank you for your help!!
Love your show ! Thank you again
Sandra

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Aug 01
  
  Hola Sandra, I’d love to help! Here is a recipe I have for Blackberry and Pecan Tamales http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/2011/06/blackberry-and-pecan-tamales.html.
  
Keninseb

May 01

Hola Pati, Dios te bendiga,
Tengo un pregunta, si quiziera hacer esta receta con carne de res, que tipo de corte me recomiendas? gracias por tu respuesta.

Norma

Mar 21

Hola Pati!!!
Recien descubri esta receta y como aqui ya no hace tanto frio como para horas de horno, decidi hacerla en la olla de coccion lenta. La enrrolle en hojas de platano despues de marinarla por dia y medio y puse las verduras debajo del envoltorio… Quedo riquisima!!! Todavia tengo carne y la voy a congelar. Consegui borrego en el mercado etnico y asi me gusta mas. Voy a probarrla con cabra la proxima vez. La servi con frijoles negros de la olla, salsa verde, cebolla y cilantro frescos y tortillas.
Tambien te queria comentar que una de mis tias, buenisima cocinera (aunque no tanto como su madre, mi adoraba abuelita Luisa) “invento” una version del pastel Azteca, que en mi familia conocemos com Torta Maria Luisa, en su honor, ella le pone carne deshebrada de pollo o falda, sazonada en un caldillo de jitomate con chorizo y hace capas de eso, con tortillas fritas, crema molida con chile poblano, queso y otras cosas mas que mete al horno y queda como par morirse de la felicidad. Yo la hago siempre aqui cuando hace frio y congelo lo que sobra de la ultima que preparo en temporada de frio, para poder comerla una o dos veces mas en los meses en que no prendo el horno ni de chiste.
Aqui sigo, al pie del canon, disfrutando tu programa, cocinando lo mas mexicano posible y otras recetas mas y saludandote por internet de vez en cuando.
Gracias Pati; ver tus platillos y escuchar/leer tus descripciones es musica para los sentidos de esta mexicana desenraizada que ama mucho a su Patria.
Con los mejores deseos.

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Mar 27
  
  Hola Norma,
  No sabes que gusto me da que pruebes las recetas y que compartas tus historias conmigo: la receta de torta de tu tia Maria Luisa suena espectacular!! De que parte de Mexico es tu tia? Si tienes la receta completa, compartela conmigo y la ponemos aqui en el blog!!
  Y estoy igual que tu: como diria mi mama, desenraizada pero amando mucho a mi Patria. Gracias por escribir! Pati
  
Joi Barragan

Mar 13

Hi Pati,
I could not find a recipe for El pastor… Do you have one? 🙂

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Mar 14
  
  Thank you for the request Joi! I will look into it and post soon.
  
Ilana

Feb 20

Can I cook down the extra marinade that the lamb soaked in and reuse it somehow? I couldn’t get all of it onto the piece of meat and into the oven. Also, I couldn’t find shoulder with bone in. What do you recommend per pound without the bone?

veronica

Feb 12

hi pati! me encanta tu programa. podrias decirme si en la parte de la marinada donde dice whole cloves, te refieres a lo que en mexico se conoce como clavo? o es otra especie? gracias por tu tiempo. hope to see your show back soon!

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Feb 13
  
  Si, es lo mismo! Thank you Veronica!
  
Paola DÃ¡vila

Feb 08

Â¡Hola Pati!
You’re recipe sounds great for those of us who cannot dig a whole in our backyard or don’t have the time to prepare Barbacoa for a weekend… This is one of my favorite prepared meats when I visit Mexico City! I’ll definitaley have to try this. On another note, wanted to know if you could post a recipe for Nieve de Queso Fresco, THIS I have not had in over 25 years since I lived in back in Mexico!!

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Feb 24
  
  Thank you so much Paola! I will try to post soon the Nieve de Queso Fresco 🙂
  
Louisa

Feb 04

CAN A PORK PICNIC (BUTT) WITH BONE, BE SUBSTITUTED FOR THE LAMB IN THE RECIPE FOR:
“LAMB BARBACOA IN ADOBO”

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Feb 04
  
  Hola Louisa,
  Yes, it sure can!
  
Ron Derbyshire

Feb 04

Great receipt !!! Miss your TV program. Will it return someday ?
Ron

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Feb 04
  
  Thank you Ron, absolutely! Get ready for more ; )
  
2. Elisabeth Romero
  
  Nov 26
  
  Ron, Pati’s Mexican Table is on the PBS Create channel. And, I love it as much as you.
  
  1. Pati Jinich
    
    Nov 26
    
    Gracias, Elisabeth! Thank you for watching me on Create.

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