El Charro Cafe Barbacoa (BBQ)

At weddings, showers, saint's days celebrations and other special occasions a hostess was sure to serve small tortillas or gorditas (which are fatter, or mas gorda, than tortillas), one filled with beans, the other with BARBACOA, along with shredded cabbage, dressed with vinegar and oil, and a salsa of some kind. Often nacatamales (cocktail size tamales), perhaps filled with chicken, potato, raisins and olives, would make up part of the plate offered. And no party was complete without at least one verse of "Las Mananitas", the Mother's Day song, or bizcochuelos, buttery cookies shaped like wreaths and with the unforgettable flavor of anise.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

Beef

• 1 (2-pound) beef roast (eye of round or brisket), cut into 6 chunks
• 2 quarts water
• 1/4 cup garlic puree*
• 1 1/4 ounces pickling spice, in cheesecloth pouch
• 1 teaspoon salt

BBQ Sauce

• 4 tablespoons oil
• 1/2 cup green chiles, roasted, peeled and chopped
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup garlic puree *
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 cup reserved meat broth
• 8 ounces canned jalapeno peppers, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon juice from canned jalapenos
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup Salsa De Chile Colorado
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup green olives, minced (optional)
• 4 large tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup wine, red or white

Instructions

1. In an 8 quart stock pot, bring water to the boil, add meat, garlic puree, spice pouch and salt. Bring to the boil again, skim scum, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour, or until the meat is tender, frequently removing scum.
2. Remove meat and cool enough to handle. Discard spice pouch; reserve liquid. With fingers, shred the meat finely.
3. In a large skillet, heat oil and saute green chile, onion, garlic puree, vinegar, broth and jalapeno. Add bay leaf. Add shredded meat and the rest of the ingredients. Simmer until flavors blend, about 10 minutes.
4. Place seasoned meat in a large, shallow baking pan and bake at 300 degrees F for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Notes

* Garlic Puree - peel 8 whole heads of garlic by smashing the cloves with the side of a wide knife; the peel will slip off easily then. Put the peeled garlic in a blender with about 2 cups of water, and puree. Drain, if necessary, and store in a tightly closed glass jar in the refrigerator.

Attribution

El Charro Cafe Favorite Recipes