Barbacoa is a slow, moist-heat cooking method for meat - traditionally beef, lamb, or goat - cooked in a covered pit or earthen oven over many hours until it falls off the bone. The name comes from the Taíno word "barbakoa," a wooden framework for cooking meat over an open fire, and is also the root of the word "barbecue."
The meat is typically seasoned with spices, herbs, and citrus, wrapped in banana or maguey leaves (or foil), and cooked with hot stones or coals, or braised in a covered pot for a home version. Common cuts include chuck roast, brisket, and cheek.
Barbacoa is a staple of Mexican cuisine, especially central and northern Mexico, where it's shredded for tacos and burritos. Related pit-cooking traditions appear elsewhere in Latin America, such as pachamanca in the Andes.