| 1 | * backbone, legs, shoulders, ribs, and head 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. |
| 2 | I didn"t realize that the mexicans also had such a practice. |
| 3 | Here"s a series of recipes revolving around mexican barbacoa or bbq. |
| 4 | To be very authentic, use a lamb which has been slaughtered the day before the cookout and hung overnight. |
| 5 | On the day of the big event, the animal is split into sections: backbone, legs, shoulders, ribs, and head. |
| 6 | Method: we assume that no one would tackle this kind of barbecue without a large number of guests-the kind who really like to pitch in. 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. |
| 7 | Other members of the party can scout up kindling and others can be set to work cleaning each maguey leaf. |
| 8 | Once the hole is dug, it is plastered with mud to keep the walls firm. |
| 9 | Large porous stones should then be placed in the bottom of the pit (beware of little hard rocks; they"ll split open). |
| 10 | Over the stones put enough dry wood to fill the pit, then set fire to the wood and let it burn to the smokeless coal stage. |
| 11 | While the fire is burning down, the maguey leaves should be toasted until limp, for this will enable them to release precious juices needed to season the meat. |
| 12 | When the fire has burned down sufficiently, line the pit with the maguey leaves, making sure that all of the mud is covered so meat will not stick to pit. |
| 13 | The leaves should be suspended vertically, the tips overlapping all the way around and held down with stones for the moment. |
| 14 | The next step is to lower a grate into the hole and on it place the casserole with soup ingredients. |
| 15 | On top of the uncovered casserole ingredients, arrange the lamb pieces, starting with the backbone, then the legs, shoulders, rib sections, and the head. |
| 16 | Do not salt meat before it is cooked, for this can toughen it. |
| 17 | After meat is in the pit, fold the tips of the maguey leaves into the hole to cover the meat well. |
| 18 | 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. |
| 19 | Keep the fire blazing for 5 or 6 hours, depending upon the age of the meat. |
| 20 | Open the pit, salt the meat before serving it, and accompany it with salsa borracha*. |
| 21 | The broth is served in small cups. |
| 22 | * see shepherd"s roast with drunken sauce for recipe |
