Barbacoa Options

caliking said:

Banana leaves don't impart flavor as such. Kind of acts like butcher paper, because it can sort of breathe, unlike foil. But it doesn't burn like paper, or conduct heat like foil, so it works well buried in pits.

Dim sum places usually have a sticky rice item steamed in lotus leaves, which are hardy enough to withstand cooking, and lend a woodsy flavor to the rice. The leaves aren't large enough for big cuts though. 

Thanks. That answers the question. The function of the leaves is not for flavor. So if the protection of the leaves isn't an issue then they aren't truly necessary in the dish...
I noticed that Rick Bayless uses Avocado leaves for flavor in some of his videos - that confirms what you are telling me...

So here's the plan of attack that's forming in my mind:

I'll either pick up a whole beef shank or a chuck roast for the experiment.
I plan to season the meat with an adobo sauce/marinade:

• 4 guajillo dried chilis, stems and seeds removed
• 4 ancho dried chilis, stems and seeds removed
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
• pinch of clove
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Heat Source:
I'm thinking I'll fire the wood oven on Friday night. By Saturday it will cool down to a nice 350ish degrees.

The cook:
I'll get a large roasting pan and add the following ingredients:
chunks of potato
carrots
onion
garbanzo beans
maybe tomato and peppers
add generous amount of water (I'm thinking 3-4 quarts)
Some seasoning - S&P, Oregano, Cumin seeds

On top of that will go my roasting rack. I'll make sure it is above the liquid. I want to try and steam the meat as opposed to braising it.
I'll place the meat covered in adobo marinade on the roasting rack.

Leave the whole business uncovered and slide it in the oven and shut the door. I'm thinking the meat will roast and get some color - maybe a bit of smoke flavor (it won't be the same as smoking on the egg or offset but more than nothing). Any drippings will fall into the broth. I'm not too sure if the moisture will interfere with the browning process - I guess I'll find out.

Once the meat is either browned well or reaches 165 IT, I'll wrap it in butcher paper and then put the whole business back in until the meat is ready to pull - somewhere North of 200 degrees. I'll check the broth along to make sure the pan doesn't run dry.

The oven should slowly cool over the course of the day and provide a fairly gentle heat.


Here's my thinking. I could always smoke the meat then braise it - and I know it will be good. But that's essentially how we make Pepper Stout Beef, Ropa Vieja, Carne Adovada and several other dishes. They are excellent - but I'm wanting to emulate more of a pit style cook.

Any last thoughts? I'm thinking I'm going to play with this over the weekend. Then I'll know.

Legume said:

It’s going to be steaming/roasting in a fairly open environment, I’d have a heavier hand with the garlic, mex oregano and cumin, they’ll all mute quite a bit slow cooking like that.

I would also consider adding some bunches of fresh herbs to the broth.

I've got oregano, thyme, and Mexican tarragon growing like crazy. I was planning to add a lot of that. Nice call on the garlic. I agree with you.

I was thinking about the steaming. I agree it's open but it should roughly equal the volume you'd encounter in a large pit. That's my thinking. I'm starting to get excited about seeing how this all plays out.

Okay. I get the message... Y’all crack me up. 

MattBTI said:

@SGH what is clod meat?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beef_clod