Nuevo León cuisine: typical dishes and what to eat

What is it?

Nuevo León cuisine is the culinary tradition of the state of Nuevo León, in north-eastern Mexico, on the border with Texas, the country's industrial capital. It is a hearty, ranching cuisine of flour tortillas and grilled meats, with cabrito al pastor as its undisputed king. Its emblematic dishes are roast cabrito al pastor, machacado with egg, frijoles a la charra, flour gorditas, asado de boda, Nuevo León tamales (smaller and made with fine dough), Monterrey flautas, empalmes (folded tortillas with beans and chilli), northern huevos rancheros and broths such as menudo and caldillo. It is eaten daily in homes and cabrito restaurants in Monterrey, Linares and Sabinas Hidalgo, reaching its peak at Sunday family dinners and celebrations such as weddings and quinceañeras, where cabrito is essential.

Origin and history

Nuevo León cuisine inherits from the Chichimec groups (Alazapas, Gualeguas, Borrados) who inhabited the semi-desert regions of the north-east, mostly nomadic hunter-gatherers. Spanish colonisation began in 1577 when Alberto del Canto founded the Villa de Santa Lucía (today Monterrey), refounded as Monterrey by Diego de Montemayor in 1596 and as the capital of the Nuevo Reino de León. The migration of Sephardic-converso families from Portugal and Spain, together with the Tlaxcalan colonisation of 1591, formed the initial population base. The cabrito arrived with the goat herds that adapted to the semi-desert and became a staple food from the seventeenth century, according to Larousse Cocina and México Desconocido. Nuevo León asado de boda (not to be confused with the Zacatecas one) is a colonial festive dish of pork in red chilli with almonds and chocolate, a mestizo heritage. The industrialisation of Monterrey from the late nineteenth century, with the Cervecería Cuauhtémoc (1890) and the HYLSA steelworks, attracted internal migration and consolidated a working class with a tradition of flour tortillas, frijoles charros and weekend barbecue. Proximity to Texas and border migration have given rise to Tex-Mex fusions such as nachos, large flour quesadillas and burritos.

Characteristic ingredients

Cabrito al pastor is the emblematic dish: a 28-35-day-old milk-fed kid slaughtered and opened out on a crossed skewer (espigado), roasted over a mesquite or walnut wood fire for between 1 and 3 hours. The skin turns golden and crisp and the meat as tender as butter. It is served with flour tortillas, frijoles a la charra and guacamole. The favourite parts are the 'machito' (offal with tripe), the 'riñonada' (kidneys) and the 'pulpa' (leg). Machacado is dried beef ground until shredded and then sautéed with tomato, onion, serrano chilli and scrambled egg. Frijoles a la charra are pinto beans cooked with bacon, chorizo, tomato, onion, garlic, serrano chilli and coriander. Northern tamales contain less dough and more filling (pork in red chilli, chicken, strawberry or pineapple sweets) and are smaller than those of central Mexico. Flour gorditas and flour tortillas replace maize as a base. Asado de boda contains pork, ancho chilli, almonds, prune, cinnamon and chocolate. Carta Blanca, Bohemia and Tecate beers are emblematic; village mezcal and local cane spirits are traditional.

Cultural significance

Nuevo León cuisine is one of the most deeply rooted in northern Mexico and a driver of Monterrey tourism. Cabrito al pastor is the emblematic dish of Monterrey: restaurants such as El Rey del Cabrito, Las Monjitas, El Granero and Cabrito Doña Carmen have been must-visit destinations since the 1940s. Nuevo León cuisine is part of the UNESCO dossier of traditional Mexican cuisine inscribed in 2010. Weekend family gatherings centre on carne asada with frijoles charros, flour tortillas and guacamole. The Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma brewery (1890) and the glass industry created in Monterrey the strongest beer economy in the country, complementing the cuisine with a tradition of premium beers. The Glass Museum and the Steel Museum exhibit the industrial legacy. The Cabrito Fair in Linares and the great-industries fair in Monterrey are culinary showcases. Monterrey cooking has also exported its 'royal hunger' to Texas, with mass migration that took cabrito, flour tortillas and machacado to San Antonio, Houston and Dallas. Contemporary restaurants such as Guillermo González Beristáin's Pangea have taken Nuevo León cuisine to the level of international fine dining.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between cabrito al pastor and cabrito al horno?

Cabrito al pastor is roasted over an open wood fire on a crossed skewer (espigado) that rotates or is turned, with the skin facing the fire, for 2-3 hours; it ends up with golden, crisp skin. Cabrito al horno is cooked inside a closed oven in a tray, generally with white wine, onion and spices; it is juicier and softer but without the characteristic toasted crust. The al pastor is the traditional northern version.

What is Nuevo León machacado?

It is beef salted and dried in the sun or air, then pounded or ground with stones until finely shredded. It is rehydrated by sautéing it with tomato, onion, garlic and serrano chilli, and mixed with scrambled egg to make the traditional northern breakfast. It is eaten with flour tortillas, refried beans and hot salsa; it is an everyday dish of every Nuevo León household.

What does Nuevo León cuisine taste like?

It has robust, smoky, carnivorous flavours: mesquite-grilled cabrito with its caramelised fat, frijoles charros with notes of bacon and chorizo, flour tortillas made with lard, and spicy serrano chilli. The machacado is salty and intense, the asado de boda contains chocolate and sweet spices. It is an abundant, hearty cuisine, ideal for the extreme climates of the semi-desert.

Where does Nuevo León cuisine come from?

It originates in the state of Nuevo León, in north-eastern Mexico. It combines a scant indigenous heritage (the Chichimec Alazapas, Borrados, Gualeguas, mostly nomadic) with a strong imprint from the Spanish colonisation of 1577-1596 (Monterrey), the Tlaxcalan migration of 1591 and the later industrialisation of Monterrey from the late nineteenth century that consolidated the traditions of cabrito, machacado and frijoles charros.