Mexico: One Plate at a Time — Season 1, Episode 17: Barbacoa and Cochinita Pibil: Down to Earth Cooking

Episode synopsis

Succulent meat, slowly cooked in pits lined with smoldering embers is the stuff of barbecue dreams. Rick takes us for a “pit stop” at Arroyo, the sprawling three thousand-seat outdoor restaurant in the heart of Mexico City, where we see the dramatic all-day pit-cooking process that transforms hundreds of pounds of lamb into succulent “Barbacoa.” At La Capilla, another outdoor family restaurant in Oaxaca, Rick reveals the mysteries of Oaxacan Barbacoa made with chile-marinated lamb buried in a pit. Back in Chicago, he shows us his favorite way to do pit-cooking at home–without lifting a shovel. It’s all done on the grill using indirect heat and Rick’s foolproof leaf-wrapping technique. He prepares fork tender Cochinita Pibil–Yucatecan-style Achiote-Rubbed Pork Cooked in Banana Leaves, served with a fiery Habanero Salsa.

About Mexico: One Plate at a Time

Rick Bayless, the beloved chef and restaurateur, seamlessly weaves together techniques, recipes, cultural musings and off-the-wall surprises. Throughout the series, Rick translates his Mexican travel adventures into unforgettable parties from intimate fireside suppers and casual backyard cocktails with friends to big, boisterous bashes for 25.

More episodes from Season 1

• E1The Whole Enchilada
• E2Let's Talk Tacos
• E3The Straight Cheese On Quesadillas
• E4Sopes And Gorditas: Masa Appeal
• E5Tacos From The Ground Up
• E6Ceviche In The Limelight
• E7Green Sauce And Tomatillos: Mexican Vine Dining
• E8A La Mexicana: The Soul Of Mexican Cooking
• E9Fruit, Aguas, Ices & Paletas: The Ripe Stuff
• E10Rice to the Occasion
• E11Caldo de Pollo & Tortilla Soup: The Super Bowl
• E12Chiles Rellenos and Other Cool Stuff