Food & Fodder

RANCH FOOD & FODDER

by Deanna Dickson McCall

Barbacoa

When I was a kid some of the ranches would cook a whole bull or cow head overnight in a pit in the ground, with certain seasonings. Of course, it was always done following a butchering. This was usually done for a branding or wedding, or some kind of event when there was a big bunch of people to feed. The whole head had the hide still on but was cleaned up on the inside. It was called Barbacoa, and Barbacoa can vary with the region. Some areas use sheep or goat heads. Sometimes you will see beef cheek meat cut from a beef’s head labeled as Barbacoa in the grocery store.

I was told the reason the hide was left on was to keep the moisture in the meat. It was aways removed when it came up out of the pit, along with the eyes and other parts that weren’t considered good by most Angelos. My family did eat brains, but they were scrambled with eggs, and not from a roasted head.

The seasoning for this was unique, a savory, sweet and spicy blend of spices. I now use pot roast or stew meat, or a combination of the two to make this easier style of Barbacoa. It is another great way to use those packages of stew meat or pot roasts in your freezer. I usually make it in a crockpot, or cast-iron Dutch oven, on top of the stove or in the stove’s oven. We enjoy this the way it was served when I was a kid, in a flour tortilla topped with the savory sauce. Leftover meat also makes good tacos.

Barbacoa

Ingredients: 4 lbs of beef stew meat, or pot roast 4 TBS of cooking oil 4 TBS of flour 1 onion chopped 1 can of chipotle peppers in sauce 2 dried Guajillo peppers, scraped, seeded 4 cloves of garlic, chopped fine 1 TBS of ground cumin 1 TBS of ground oregano 1 tsp of ground cinnamon or to taste 2 cups of beef broth

Juice of 1 lime

Black pepper

Directions:

Lightly salt and pepper and then flour the meat, then brown in the oil in a Dutch oven until well browned. Leave the meat in the pan or place the meat in a crock pot. If removing to a crock pot, make sure you get all the fat and browned bits into the crockpot. This adds a lot of flavor. Add all the other ingredients, cover and cook all day. You really cannot over cook this.

Remove the meat and allow to rest at least 15 minutes. Save the broth. Shred the meat with 2 forks or chop it into bite size pieces. Return the meat to the broth and taste to see if seasoning adjustments are called for. Depending on the beef broth or bullion used, you will need to check on the salt. You may want more spice or more cinnamon. You can place the meat in the refrigerator to use the next day or serve it now.

I serve this by placing a warm flour tortilla on a plate. I then use a slotted spoon to get the meat and cover half of the tortilla with the meat. Fold the tortilla over the meat, and then cover the tortilla with the broth. Add a dollop of sour cream or yogurt to the top, and some sliced avocado or guacamole if you like and serve. Cheese can also be sprinkled on, Monterey Jack is a favorite. Let stand a few minutes before serving. We eat pinto beans and a green salad with this. ▫

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