Barbacoa in Medford

Barbacoa is meat cooked low, slow and covered, traditionally wrapped and buried in a pit lined with maguey leaves and left overnight. The English word barbecue comes from it, though the two dishes went in very different directions.

Whatever the method, the target is the same: meat so soft it gives up the moment you touch it, seasoned all the way through rather than just on the outside. It is served pulled, with tortillas, and it does not need much help.

Like the rest of the weekend pots, barbacoa is made in a batch and sold until it is gone. Weekend mornings are the safe bet. Late Sunday afternoon is a gamble, and some days it does not pay off.