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Mixiotes
Chilli lamb steamed in parchment
Hidalgo and Tlaxcala's chilli-marinated lamb steamed in parchment parcels
Mixiotes belong to the high plains of Hidalgo and Tlaxcala, where they are a Sunday and fiesta dish sold from steaming pots at weekly markets. Chunks of lamb (or chicken) are soaked in a dark, aromatic paste of guajillo and ancho chillies with garlic, cumin and cloves, wrapped in parcels and steamed until the meat collapses into its own rich red juices. The traditional wrapper is mixiote, the thin skin peeled from maguey leaves, which is now protected and hard to buy, so this recipe uses baking parchment tied with string. The lamb marinates in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. Open the parcels at the table and serve with corn tortillas, salsa verde and avocado. Chef's tip: twist and tie the parcels tightly so no steam gets in; a sealed parcel keeps the sauce thick and concentrated.
- Total time
- 420 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 6 dried guajillo chilliesstalks and seeds removed
- 3 dried ancho chilliesstalks and seeds removed
- 1 ¾ cups hot waterfor soaking
- ½ white onionroughly chopped
- 5 garliccloves, peeled
- 3 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 2 tsp salt
For the parcels
- 2 ⅝ lb boneless lamb shouldercut into 4 cm chunks; or 1.2 kg skinless chicken thighs
- 6 baking parchmentsquares of about 35 cm, plus kitchen string; replaces maguey mixiote film
To serve
- 18 corn tortillas (optional)warmed
- 1 avocado (optional)sliced
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Toast 6 dried guajillo chillies and 3 dried ancho chillies in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for about 20 seconds a side, until fragrant and pliable, then cover with 1 ¾ cups hot water and soak for 20 minutes.
20 minStep 2: Blend the chillies with 200 ml of their soaking water, ½ white onion, 5 garlic, 3 tbsp cider vinegar, 1 tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp ground cloves, 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano and 2 tsp salt until completely smooth. Sieve if needed.
Step 3: Put 2 ⅝ lb boneless lamb shoulder in a bowl, pour over the marinade and turn to coat every piece. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
240 minStep 4: Divide the meat and its marinade between the squares of 6 baking parchment, tuck a leaf of 6 bay leaves into each, then gather up the corners and tie tightly with string to make sealed bundles.
Step 5: Set the parcels on a steamer rack over 5 cm of simmering water, cover the pot and steam over a medium-low heat.
5 minStep 6: Steam lamb for about 2½ hours, until fork-tender and falling apart (chicken thighs need about 1 hour and must reach 165°F in the thickest part). Check the water every 30 minutes and top up with boiling water. Letting the pot boil dry is the most common mistake: it scorches the pan and stops the cooking.
150 minStep 7: Lift out the parcels and let them rest for 5 minutes. Serve one parcel per person, opened at the table, with warm tortillas and avocado.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mixiotes take?
- About 420 minutes in total: 270 minutes to prepare and 150 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of white onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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