Barbacoa is a traditional Mexican method of cooking meat that involves slow- cooking tougher cuts of meat, often in an underground pit lined with hot stones and covered with leaves, which results in tender, juicy, and flavorful meat
. Historically, barbacoa was made with lamb or goat, but today it is commonly prepared with beef, pork, lamb, or goat
. The cooking process typically involves seasoning the meat with a blend of spices such as cumin, oregano, cloves, garlic, and chili peppers, then slow- cooking it for several hours until it is tender enough to be shredded
. The traditional method uses steam and heat from an earthen pit, but modern recipes often use slow cookers or stovetop methods
. Barbacoa is commonly served as a filling for tacos, burritos, or as a stew, often accompanied by toppings like cilantro, onions, and lime
. The word "barbacoa" itself originates from the Taíno word for a framework of sticks used for cooking meat over a fire
. In summary, barbacoa meat is slow-cooked, seasoned meat-traditionally lamb or goat, but often beef or pork today-known for its tenderness and rich flavor, prepared by a method involving slow cooking over heat or steam, historically underground
