Entree: Mexico – Morelos (Central Mexico) – Barbacoa de Morelos (Morelos-style Barbacoa)

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 1 hr

Cook 5 hrs

Additional 12 hrs

Total 17 hrs

Ingredients

- 6 lb (2.7 kg) lamb shoulder, bone-in, trimmed (can substitute goat shoulder, approx. same weight)
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil
- 10 garlic cloves
- 2 medium white onions, halved (about 10 oz / 280 g)
- 6 guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed (approx. 30 g)
- 2 ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed (approx. 20 g)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 3 cups (720 ml) lamb or beef stock (or water)
- 2 tbsp (30 g) coarse salt, plus more to taste
- 2 tsp (8 g) ground black pepper
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
- 6 whole cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp (4 g) dried Mexican oregano
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp / 1 g dried thyme)
- 6 hoja santa leaves for wrapping, or 4–6 maguey (agave) leaves or banana leaves if unavailable (no exact weight)
- 12–18 small corn tortillas (about 6-inch; 12–18 pieces)
- 1/2 cup (60 g) chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
- 3 limes, cut into wedges
- 6 radishes, thinly sliced (optional)
- For the consommé/salsa and rice:
  - 1 cup (200 g) long-grain white rice, dry
  - 2 cups (480 ml) chicken or vegetable broth for rice
  - 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) tomato puree (blended canned tomatoes or cooked fresh tomatoes)
  - 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil for rice
  - 3 roma tomatoes (approx. 10 oz / 280 g) or 1 cup (240 g) roasted tomatoes for salsa
  - 6 chiles de arbol (or 2 serrano chiles) for hot salsa (optional)
  - 1/4 cup (40 g) white onion (for salsa)
  - 1 clove garlic (for salsa)
  - 1 tsp (5 g) salt (for salsa)

Instructions

Short Description:
Slow-cooked lamb shoulder marinated with toasted local chiles, garlic, and warm spices, wrapped in hoja santa or maguey/banana leaves and cooked until fall-apart tender, served with consommé, warm corn tortillas, Mexican-style rice, and fresh garnishes.

Regional Notes:
This Morelos rendition uses lamb shoulder (or goat) with a chile-garlic marinade and traditionally is slow-cooked in a pit wrapped in maguey leaves; the recipe gives a pit method and an oven/pressure-cooker adaptation while preserving the hoja santa/maguey leaf aromatics and the thin consommé typical of central Mexico. Compared with other regional barbacoa, Morelos emphasizes lamb/goat, hoja santa, and a simpler, more herb-forward spice mix rather than heavy achiote or sweeter marinades.

1. Prepare chiles: Heat a dry skillet over medium heat and toast the guajillo and ancho chiles lightly for 15–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned. Remove and let cool.
2. Rehydrate chiles: Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water; soak 15–20 minutes until pliable. Drain, reserving about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the soaking liquid.
3. Make marinade: In a blender combine drained chiles, reserved soaking liquid, 5 garlic cloves, 1/2 of the halved onion, apple cider vinegar, ground cumin, black pepper, cloves, oregano, and 1/2 cup (120 ml) of stock. Blend to a smooth paste, adding a little more stock if necessary.
4. Season meat: Rub the lamb shoulder all over with 2 tbsp (30 g) of the salt. Heat 3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil in a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb on all sides (about 6–8 minutes total) to develop color; remove and set aside.
5. Marinate: Place a layer of hoja santa (or banana/maguey) leaves in a large nonreactive container or directly in the Dutch oven. Spread half the chile marinade on the leaves, then put the browned lamb on top, and coat the lamb with remaining marinade. Add the remaining onion halves, remaining garlic cloves, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and pour remaining stock around (not directly over the marinade so it stays on the meat). If using a container, place the remaining leaves over the meat, wrap tightly, and refrigerate 4–12 hours (overnight preferred) to let flavors penetrate.
6. Pit method (traditional): If you have access to a pit or horno de tierra, dig a shallow pit lined with hot stones and place maguey leaves on the stones, set the wrapped meat on top, cover with more leaves and soil, and cook for 6–8 hours until fall-apart tender. Carefully remove and skim consommé fat before serving.
7. Oven method (home cook): Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Place the wrapped meat (in the Dutch oven or tightly wrapped in foil/baking pan) and pour any remaining stock into the pot. Cover tightly and roast 4–5 hours until meat is falling from the bone. If using foil, place a heavy pan on top to keep steam in.
8. Pressure-cooker/Instant Pot method: Transfer everything to a large pressure cooker, seal, and cook on high pressure for 75–90 minutes, then allow natural release 15–20 minutes. Remove meat and check for shredding tenderness.
9. While meat cooks, make Mexican-style rice: Rinse rice until water runs clear. Heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add rice and toast until slightly golden. Stir in tomato puree and 2 cups (480 ml) broth, bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low for 15–18 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and season with salt to taste.
10. Make quick salsa de arbol (optional) and consommé: Roast or pan-char the roma tomatoes and chiles de arbol or serranos until blistered. Blend with 1/4 cup (40 g) onion, 1 clove garlic, and 1 tsp (5 g) salt until smooth. For consommé, skim fat from cooking liquid, strain through a fine sieve into a saucepan, taste and adjust salt and heat, and keep warm.
11. Shred meat: When lamb is tender, transfer to a large tray, discard bay leaves, thyme stems, and large leaf wrappers. Using forks, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, mixing in some of the strained cooking liquid/consommé to keep it juicy and to serve alongside.
12. Warm tortillas and assemble: Warm corn tortillas on a dry skillet or comal until pliable. Serve shredded Barbacoa de Morelos with warm tortillas, a ladle of hot consommé, a scoop of Mexican rice, salsa de arbol, chopped cilantro, sliced radishes, and lime wedges.
13. Final seasoning: Taste meat and consommé; add more salt or a squeeze of lime if desired. Leftovers keep well refrigerated in their consommé for up to 3 days and freeze well.