Weekend lamb barbacoa, mixiotes and hearty consomés

Central highland states like Hidalgo and the State of Mexico are legendary for barbacoa de borrego—lamb seasoned, wrapped (often in maguey leaves) and slow-cooked in an underground pit until it’s silky and shreddable. Weekends revolve around this tradition: families drive to barbacoa stalls early in the morning for tacos and bowls of rich consomé made from the pit juices. Guides routinely single out Hidalgo and Central Mexico as the benchmark for lamb barbacoa. Related techniques give us mixiotes—meats marinated in chile sauces and steamed in parchment or maguey membranes—and regional carnitas or adobo-braised meats that show up at Sunday tables and roadside stands. These dishes embody communal eating: big pots, shared trays, tortillas by the stack, and salsas that can make or break the experience.