Asado in maguey leaf: pre-Hispanic wrapping technique

What is it?

Asado in maguey leaf is a pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican technique that consists of wrapping meats, fish or vegetables in maguey or pulque maguey leaves or cuticles and cooking them over coals, in an earth pit, on a comal or in an oven. The leaf provides moisture, herbal-vegetable flavour and prevents the meat from drying out or burning. It is the basis of emblematic preparations such as mixiote (meat marinated in the transparent leaf cuticle), pit barbacoa, Hidalgo ximbo (marinated meat wrapped in a whole leaf), trout in leaf, cactus paddles roasted directly on leaf, and various ritual roasts of the central altiplano. The technique is closely linked to the maguey regions of Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, the State of Mexico, Puebla, Queretaro and Oaxaca, where the cultivation of pulque agave (Agave salmiana, A. mapisaga, A. atrovirens) has sustained civilisations for more than 3,500 years.

Origin and history

Cooking in maguey leaf is a pre-Hispanic technique documented from the 16th century by Fray Bernardino de Sahagun in the General History of the Things of New Spain, where he describes how the Mexica wrapped deer, rabbits, fish and vegetables in leaves to cook them in pits or on comales. The maguey or metl was a sacred plant linked to the goddess Mayahuel, deity of pulque, and all its elements (aguamiel, pulque, fibres, thorns, leaves, quiotes) had diverse uses. The Florentine and Mendoza codices illustrate preparations with leaves. The mixiote technique, specifically, consists of separating the transparent cuticle from the leaf (called 'mixiotl' in Nahuatl), in which marinated meat is wrapped to boil or steam. According to Larousse Cocina and Mexico Desconocido, the mixiote cuticle was a valuable resource of the altiplano until the 1980s, when SEMARNAT banned its commercial extraction due to irreversible damage to the maguey, which dies if its cuticle is removed. Today, traditional mixiote is made with waxed paper or aluminium foil, although some artisan producers in Hidalgo still use real cuticle under regulations. Pit barbacoa, ximbo (a large tamale wrapped in whole leaf, not in cuticle), and other regional variants have survived without the restrictions of traditional mixiote.

Characteristic ingredients

The maguey leaf cooking technique has precise variants according to the dish. For traditional mixiote: 1) The transparent cuticle (mixiotl) is separated from a fresh leaf with a sharp knife. 2) It is cut into 20 to 25 cm squares. 3) Meat (mutton, beef, chicken, rabbit) marinated with chile guajillo, ancho, pasilla, vinegar, garlic and spices is placed in the centre. 4) It is tied like a little bag with ixtle or pita thread. 5) It is steamed for 2 to 3 hours or cooked in an earth pit for 6 to 8 hours. For Hidalgo ximbo: 1) A whole fleshy maguey leaf is taken, cleaned, pounded to soften it and lightly toasted on a comal. 2) A pot or pan is lined with the leaf, with the edges hanging over. 3) It is filled with marinated meat (lamb, chicken or pork) and vegetables (cactus paddles, potatoes, carrots, avocado leaves). 4) The edges of the leaf are closed covering everything. 5) It is cooked in the oven or over coals for 2 to 3 hours. For cactus paddles on leaf: tender paddles are simply roasted directly on the leaf spread out on the comal, which aromatises them herbally. The leaf provides moisture due to its fleshiness, an aniseed-vegetable-slightly-bitter flavour, and a unique aroma that is imparted to the meat. Avocado leaves, epazote and hoja santa are frequently added.

Cultural significance

Cooking in maguey leaf is a heritage technique of the central altiplano and forms part of the UNESCO inscription of traditional Mexican cuisine in 2010. The defence of the pulque maguey, a key plant for this technique, is a fundamental contemporary cause in the face of the monoculture of blue agave for tequila and urban threats. States such as Hidalgo and Tlaxcala have implemented state programmes for maguey rescue. The Maguey and Pulque Route in Hidalgo connects restored pulque haciendas such as San Antonio Ometusco, Soltepec and San Cristobal Polaxtla, where gastronomic experiences in leaf are offered. Festivals such as the Maguey and Pulque Fair in Apan and the Mixiote Fair in Tlaxcala promote the technique. Traditional cooks and urban pulque movements (Pulqueria Las Duelistas, La Pirata) have brought maguey flavours to a young urban public. Restaurants such as Pujol, Quintonil and Em Restaurante use the technique in their contemporary cuisine, presenting mixiotes and ximbos on fine plates. The conservation of maguey also has an ecological component: it prevents erosion, captures CO2 and sustains the biodiversity of pollinators such as bats.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between mixiote and ximbo?

Traditional mixiote is wrapped in the transparent maguey cuticle (called mixiotl in Nahuatl), forming small individual 200 to 300 g pouches with marinated meat steamed. Hidalgo ximbo uses the whole fleshy leaf to wrap a large quantity of meat and vegetables like a big tamale, cooked in the oven or over coals. Due to environmental restrictions, today's modern mixiote uses waxed paper instead of real cuticle.

Why does the maguey leaf provide flavour?

The leaf contains compounds such as saponins, sapogenins and essential oils that are released with heat. These compounds impart an aniseed, slightly bitter and sweet herbal-vegetable flavour, unique in world cuisine. The natural moisture of the leaf (75 to 85% water) prevents the meat from drying and creates a controlled steam-cooking environment. The process also partially caramelises the plant's sugars.

Can you make mixiote without maguey leaf?

Yes, today it is most common due to environmental restrictions. Waxed paper or aluminium foil is used to wrap the marinated meat, which protects during steaming but does not provide the herbal flavour of maguey. Some artisan producers in Hidalgo still use real cuticle under special regulations, and premium restaurants can obtain it legally. The result with paper is similar but without the distinctive maguey flavour.

Where does cooking in leaf come from?

It is of Mesoamerican origin, specifically of the Mexican central altiplano where the pulque maguey has grown and been cultivated for more than 3,500 years. It was documented in the 16th century by Fray Bernardino de Sahagun in his Historia general. Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, the State of Mexico, Puebla, Queretaro and Oaxaca are the regions that preserve the technique alive, with variants such as mixiote, ximbo and pit barbacoa.