Barbacoa is an original Mexican dish which is prepared with whole sheep meat. If you are interested in knowing how to eat barbacoa, you should first of all know how the meat is prepared…so that you are able to enjoy the dish as much as you can when you are eating it. It is generally cooked in a very traditional style over an open fire which is in a hole that has been dug into the ground. This hole is then covered with maguey leaves which helps in the burning process.

Tradition style of eating barbacoa: This is also known to be the oldest Mexican barbecue dish which we know about today.
• You will have to serve it on a warm soft taco type corn tortilla.
• This tortilla can have guacamole or salsa. This adds flavor to barbacoa.
• This meat is generally served in banana leaves.
• To enjoy its taste the most you can eat it with some lime juice and diced onions and cilantro.
• Enjoy it hot.

The original version of barbacoa: This is very rare to find in restaurants. If you are really keen, you can try it out at home:
• You will love the taste of spices and herbs which are used in the making of the dish. Some popular herbs which are included are cassareep which can be got from cassava plant. This herb was used traditionally so that the natural flavor of the meat could be preserved. If you wish to get this authentic flavor, you have to look for these herbs.

Here are some popular versions of eating barbacoa:
• If you are eating barbacoa in US, you will be eating meat from the head portions of a cow…like cheeks.
• In northern regions of Mexico, barbacoa is prepared from cow head and sometimes with goat meat also.
• Visit any popular restaurant of central Mexico; you will be eating barbacoa with lamb meat.
• You might also be served pork with different seasonings.
• In many restaurants you will be served a complementary soup or sauce whichever you prefer. Though this is not one of the authentic ways of enjoying this dish.

If you stay in Texas you might not be able to eat barbacoa everyday, because the markets have special days of selling this meat. It is sold mainly on the weekends and other holidays, when barbacoa is prepared at homes so that families can sit together and enjoy this meat dish in a relaxed manner. Thus, barbacoa can be said to be a dish which is prepared on special occasions and special times of the day.
Image credits: icookmexicanfood, en.wikipedia.org ,aliceqfoodie.blogspot