Soups & BrothsEasy

Barbacoa Consomme

Name: Barbacoa Consomme
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 500 g Huesos de borrego o cordero; 200 g Garbanzos cocidos; 80 g Rice; 3 Dried guajillo chile; 2 Morita chile o chipotle; 1 White onion; 4 Garlic cloves; 1 bunch Fresh cilantro; 1 to taste Salt

45 min (15 prep + 30 cook) Easy 6 servings Hidalgo

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: Mar 20, 2026 · Updated: May 12, 2026

Rich concentrated broth from slow-cooked lamb barbacoa with chickpeas, rice and chile. A restorative Sunday Mexican classic.

About this recipe

Barbacoa consomme is the concentrated broth obtained from the juices released by lamb during barbacoa cooking. Served with chickpeas, rice, onion, cilantro and chile.

History & Origin

Barbacoa consomme is a brilliant by-product of the barbacoa lamb preparation, but it has acquired such importance that many consider it as valuable as the meat itself. It is obtained by placing a pot beneath the lamb meat as it slowly cooks. During the hours of cooking, the meat juices, melted fat and aromatic vapours fall directly into the pot, creating an extraordinarily rich broth. In the states of Hidalgo, Estado de Mexico, Tlaxcala and Puebla, the Sunday barbacoa ritual always includes consomme as a first course. It is served in clay cups, sprinkled with cilantro, chopped onion and chile. The most famous barbacoa stalls are known as much for their consomme as for their meat. If the consomme is rich and concentrated, the barbacoa will be excellent.

Estimated cost

$6.80

Total cost

$1.13

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on US supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

180

Calories

12g

Protein

16g

Carbohydrates

Fat

Fiber

520mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Place the huesos of cordero in a large pot with 2.5 litros of cold water. Add the onion partida and the garlic. Bring to the boil and remove the espuma.
💡 Los huesos with tuétano dan the mejor flavour and cuerpo to the consommé.
2
Add the guajillo chiles and morita enteros (without tallos). Baja the heat and cook over low heat 2 hours until the stock it is concentrado and sabroso.
3
Add the rice crudo and cook 15 minutes. Luego incorpora the garbanzos cocidos and cook 10 minutes more.
4
Remove the huesos and the chiles. Shred cualquier meat that has desprendido of the huesos and devuélvela to the stock.
5
Season with salt to taste. El consommé should ser concentrado and slightly grasoso.
6
Serve in deep bowls, espolvoreado with chopped cilantro, chopped onion finely and serrano chile to taste.