Barbacoa Bowl with Coriander-Lime Rice

History & Origin

Tex-Mex barbacoa has a fascinating history that connects the culinary practices of northern Mexico's indigenous peoples with the Texan barbecue tradition. The English word "barbecue" derives precisely from the term "barbacoa", which in the Mexican tradition of the north refers to the slow cooking of meat - generally beef or lamb - wrapped in agave leaves and buried in a pit with hot coals. This technique, practised by the indigenous peoples of northern Mexico and southern Texas for centuries, was adopted and transformed by Mexican-origin Texan settlers, the so-called Tejanos, who fused it with their own slow-cooking traditions. In the bowl format, Tex-Mex barbacoa is made by cooking beef - typically beef cheeks or shoulder - for several hours in an aromatic broth with guajillo and ancho chillies, garlic, cumin and spices. The result is extraordinarily tender meat that shreds effortlessly and absorbs all the flavours of the braise. Combined with coriander and lime rice, black beans, red salsa and a touch of soured cream, the barbacoa bowl delivers a complete gastronomic experience that honours both the Mexican roots of the dish and its evolution in Tex-Mex cooking. In cities like Houston, San Antonio and Austin, barbacoa stalls are a Sunday institution where families gather to enjoy a dish that tastes of history and of a shared tradition between two cultures.