Barbacoa: Why This “Texas BBQ” Actually Comes from Mexico.
Barbacoa is often associated with Texas barbecue, especially in cities like San Antonio and Austin, where it’s a weekend breakfast favorite.
But while Texans have embraced it, barbacoa didn’t originate in Texas—it comes straight from Mexico and dates back centuries before Texas even existed.
A Pre-Hispanic Mexican Tradition – The word "barbacoa" comes from the Taíno people of the Caribbean, referring to a method of cooking meat slowly over an open fire or underground pit.
Indigenous Mexicans perfected the technique, cooking whole animals (like lamb or goat) wrapped in maguey leaves in underground pits for hours until tender.
Spanish Influence & Expansion – When Spanish colonists arrived in Mexico, they introduced beef, which eventually became the most common meat used in northern Mexican barbacoa—the style that made its way to Texas.
Texas Embraces Barbacoa – Mexican immigrants brought barbacoa across the border into Texas, where it became a weekend staple, often served in tacos with cilantro, onions, and salsa
Mexican barbacoa – Typically made from lamb, goat, or beef head, slow-cooked in underground pits.
🔥 Texas-style barbacoa – More commonly made from beef cheek meat, slow-roasted or smoked for a similar tenderness.
Barbacoa wasn’t born in Texas, but Mexican and Texan cultures have both played a role in making it the delicious, slow-cooked masterpiece it is today!