Beth Hensperger

Beth’s friend Laura Quemada sent this recipe from her mother. “Here’s a recipe for barbacoa my mom gave me. It translates into ’BBQ’ in Spanish, but the meat really isn’t barbecued, and not really stewed, so I’m not sure how to describe it. It uses a flavorful dry spice rub, then a nice spicy sauce. Mom uses salt, pepper, coriander, and rosemary in quantities to suit her taste. My dad would probably add New Mexican red chile powder and sage, but he’s a little more adventurous (he watches the cooking channels). Now, if you ask my dad, he says you should add beer to the cooking process, about one-half can or bottle, but mom uses water. I’ve had it both ways, and they are both great. It is one of my favorites. I remember being served it at Mexican weddings and special birthday parties. It’s great with sopa (Mexican rice), frijoles (beans), tortillas, and a green salad. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.” Click for recipe