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* Backbone, legs, shoulders, ribs, and head
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To further explore the international links of various cuisines, check out this one and remember a few months back when we were talking abou the Pacific Island custom of cooking in pits.
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I didn't realize which the Mexicans also had such a practice.
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Here's a series of recipes revolving around Mexican Barbacoa or possibly BBQ.
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To be very authentic, use a lamb that has been slaughtered the day before the cookout and hung overnight.
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On the day of the big event, the animal is split into sections: backbone, legs, shoulders, ribs, and head.
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METHOD:We assume which no one would tackle this kind of barbecue without a large number of guests-the kind who really like to pitch in.
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So, the first thing to do is to set one group of your guests to digging a hole about four feet by two feet across.
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Other members of the party can scout up kindling and others can be set to work cleaning each maguey leaf.
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Once the hole is dug, it is plastered with mud to keep the walls hard.
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Large porous stones should then be placed in the bottom of the pit
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(beware of little hard rocks; they'll split open).
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Over the stones put sufficient dry wood to fill the pit, then set fire to the wood and let it burn to the smokeless coal stage.
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While the fire is burning down, the maguey leaves should be toasted till limp, for this will enable them to release precious juices needed to season the meat.
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When the fire has burned down sufficiently, line the pit with the maguey leaves, making sure which all of the mud is covered so meat won't stick to pit.
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The leaves should be suspended vertically, the tips overlapping all the way around and held down with stones for the moment.
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The next step is to lower a grate into the hole and on it place the casserole with soup ingredients.
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On top of the uncovered casserole ingredients, arrange the lamb pcs, starting with the backbone, then the legs, shoulders, rib sections, and the head.
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Don't salt meat before it is cooked, for this can toughen it.
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After meat is in the pit, fold the tips of the maguey leaves into the hole to cover the meat well.
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Over this place a metal sheet to keep any earth from seeping into the pit and then seal the pit with a coat of fresh mud and build a large fire over the metal sheet and mud cover.
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Keep the fire blazing for 5 or possibly 6 hrs, depending upon the age of the meat.
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Open the pit, salt the meat before serving it, and accompany it with Salsa Borracha*.
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The broth is served in small c..
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* See Shepherd's Roast with Drunken Sauce for recipe.
