Barbacoa Taco Kit
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This family style package is what many folks travel to South Philly Barbacoa for each weekend. They cut the proportion of lamb barbacoa that is desired, and it arrives at the table piping hot with bowls of consomé, a basket of warm tortillas, and all the salsas and accouterments. Families enjoy plucking a tortilla out of the basket and filling with the meat, and garnishing with nopales, chiles, or salsa. For dessert, many people love the sweet tamales with pineapple and raisin.
The barbacoa is only served on the weekends, because it is a labor-intensive process which consumes the whole week. From working in the slaughterhouse, butchering the whole lambs, making pancitas, nixtamalizing hundreds of kilos of corn for masa, to making all the salsas from scratch, to de-thorning, blanching and sautéing the nopales, the prep team gears up every week for a busy weekend with hundreds of customers.
Chef Cristina, an undocumented immigrant, provides employment to several members of the community, and has always used her platform to advocate for the respect and dignity of undocumented restaurant workers. She hopes more chefs can join her in acknowledging the great contribution of undocumented immigrants to the country’s great restaurants and help federal lawmakers make the ethical choice to decriminalize their work and create a pathway to citizenship for all.
Philadelphians have been lining up down the block for a taste of South Philly Barbacoa’s legendary lamb barbacoa tacos since 2012, but chef/owner Cristina Martinez comes from a long line of barbacoieros, and has been making traditional barbacoa the old-fashioned way since she was a little girl growing up in Capulhuac, Mexico. After leaving an abusive marriage she immigrated to Philly, where she remarried and started selling her slow-roasted barbacoa out of her apartment. A food cart soon followed, then a brick-and-mortar restaurant, then appearances on Netflix’s “Chef’s Table” and “Ugly Delicious” and national acclaim.
Butter not included
CA and AZ orders will not include limes
This package includes your choice of a small or large Barbacoa Taco Kit
- Choose to add Pineapple + Raisin Sweet Tamales!
- Each tamale weighs approx. 3.8 oz. and measures approx. 6"
Options Include
- Small Barbacoa Taco Kit (Serves 3-4)
- Cooked Lamb Barbacoa (approx. 1 lb.)
- Nopales (Cactus), cooked (8 oz.)
- Rajas (Chiles) (8 oz.)
- Cilantro (8 oz.)
- Diced White Onion (8 oz.)
- 2 Limes, Whole
- Red Salsa (3.5 oz.)
- Green Salsa (3.5 oz.)
- 12 Corn Tortillas (each 6")
- Consommé (approx. 1 Qt.)
- Large Barbacoa Taco Kit (Serves 6-8)
- Cooked Lamb Barbacoa (approx. 2.2 lb.)
- Nopales (Cactus), cooked (24 oz.)
- Rajas (Chiles) (24 oz.)
- Cilantro (12 oz.)
- Diced White Onion (12 oz.)
- 4 Limes, Whole
- Red Salsa (8 oz.)
- Green Salsa (8 oz.)
- 24 Corn Tortillas (each 6")
- Consommé (approx. 2 Qts.)
- Kit ships fresh with ice packs, may thaw during transit.
- Upon arrival, store kit in the refrigerator.
- Kit may be kept up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Tamales may be kept up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
To Serve
Tortillas
- Preheat a seasoned comal or griddle pan on the stovetop.
- Wet the tortillas and spread them out on your cooking surface.
- Cook on one side for approx. 30 seconds (until they can easily be flipped).
- Flip and cook on the other side for approx. 30 seconds to a minute.
- Transfer to a serving plate.
Barbacoa + Pancita
- Place approx. 1 cup of consommé in a deep saute pan and heat until warm.
- Add in meat and stir gently (you can also add in a few pieces of butter if desired).
- Put a top on the pan and warm slowly.
- Season with a little salt if needed.
Taco Assembly
- Scoop meat into warm tortillas.
- Top with fixings.
- Serve and enjoy!
Consommé
- Heat over stovetop until warm and add lime, cilantro, and onion if desired (be sure to save some extra for toppings).
- Serve and enjoy!
Tamales (Add On) – Stovetop
- Remove tamales from packaging and place in a stovetop steamer.
- Steam for 12-15 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Tamales (Add On) – Microwave
- Wrap tamale in a damp towel and microwave for approx. 1 minute or until warm throughout.
- Serve and enjoy!