The Mexican dish of slow-cooked meat traditionally prepared in an underground pit is barbacoa.
Traditional barbacoa uses an earth oven: a pit is heated with fire, then meat is wrapped in leaves—often maguey or banana leaves—and covered so it cooks slowly in retained heat and steam. Depending on the region, cooks may use lamb, goat, beef, or an entire beef head. Modern versions are also commonly steamed in large pots rather than cooked underground.
Barbacoa is a cooking method and regional dish rather than one fixed recipe. In central Mexico, lamb is especially associated with barbacoa, while beef and beef-head preparations are widespread elsewhere. It is often served with onions, cilantro, salsa, and tortillas.
A common mix-up is birria, which can resemble barbacoa and historically overlaps with it in western Mexico. Birria is usually identified by its seasoned chile-based marinade and broth, whereas barbacoa primarily describes the slow earth-oven or steaming preparation.