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Home ยป Recipes

Barbacoa

The tradition of barbacoa in Puerto Rican cooking traces back to the Taรญno, the island's Indigenous people. The Taรญnos developed the original method of slow-cooking meat over a fire on a raised wooden platform, which they called "barabicu." This ancient technique not only gave meat a smoky flavor but also preserved it for longer periods. Today's Puerto Rican BBQ - with its rich marinades, open-flame grilling, and celebration of gatherings - still carries the spirit of those first barabicu fires, blending Indigenous roots with African and Spanish influences over time.

Puerto Rican-style BBQ, or barbacoa, is all about bold marinades, open flames, and unforgettable smoky flavors. Whether it's pinchos by the beach or pork roasting for hours, BBQ brings people together around good food and good vibes.

Try Pinchos de Pollo (Chicken Skewers), Guava-Glazed BBQ Ribs, or Churrasco (Grilled Skirt Steak) with Puerto Rican Chimichurri for a true taste of island barbacoa at home.

  • Small mason jar filled with Puerto Rican Garlic Paste with a jar of oregano and a jar of coriander seeds at either side of it. A small wooden bowl with garlic paste sits in front of the mason jar with garlic paste as well as a few garlic cloves.
    Puerto Rican Garlic Paste
  • Roasted garlic and herb compound butter in an open clear storage container on a blue and tan linen.
    Roasted Garlic And Herb Compound Butter
  • Top-down view of a shallow brown bowl filled with a golden, blended seasoning, with a metal whisk resting inside, on a light terrazzo background.
    Homemade Puerto Rican Adobo Seasoning
  • Close-up of a roasted chicken thigh served with guineos en escabeche, cherry tomatoes, and a side of macaroni salad partially visible.
    Puerto Rican Pollo Asado, Oven-Roasted Chicken
  • A hand grasps a blue-rimmed glass of piรฑa colada, garnished with toasted coconut and cherries, next to a bowl of shredded coconut.
    Puerto Rican Piรฑa Colada
  • Close-up of Puerto Rican chicken paella with bone-in chicken thighs, longaniza sausage, pigeon peas, and sliced plantains, garnished with fresh cilantro in a large paella pan.
    Puerto Rican Chicken Paella with Sausage and Plantain
  • Steamed mussels and clams served in a rustic terracotta dish, with crusty bread and a small bowl of sofrito sauce on the side.
    Puerto Rican Steamed Mussels With Sofrito White Wine Sauce
  • Bananas in a bunch are still hanging off the plant.
    Guineos, Platanos, and Banana Leaves: Puerto Rican Staples
  • A bottle of mojito sauce surrounded by a bottle of pique (hot sauce), Worcestershire sauce, and the remaining sauce.
    Puerto Rican Mojito Sauce, Savory Sofrito Ketchup Sauce
  • pinchos served with potato salad and collard greens
    Pinchos de Cerdo, Puerto Rican Pork Kabobs
  • mason jar filled with freshly made mojo. There is a blue kitchen towel on the right and leftover lime and lemon juice behind the jar of mojo.
    Mojo Marinade
  • A fork full of Pernil with a large serving bowl, avocados, dinner rolls, and small serving bowls with meat on the background.
    Instant Pot Puerto Rican Pernil (Pork Roast)
  • two ceramic blue dipping saucers with api-li-mojili
    Ajรญ-li-mojรญli
  • a closeup of the Cochinita all shredded and bathing in its juices
    Cochinita Pibil. The Way This Puerto Rican Makes It.
  • Grilled Sweet Potatoes
    The Secret of Grilling Sweet Potatoes Flawlessly
Woman holding a wooden spoon and smiling in a kitchen with hanging utensils and a vase of flowers on the counter.

Hola! I'm Zoe. I love all things food and enjoy cooking. I created this site to reconnect with my Puerto Rican heritage while living in the United States. This is a great place to reconnect if you are floating in the diaspora. I would love to hear from you!

About Zoe โ†’

Popular Recipes

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Puerto Rican Favorites

  • Completed Sofrito sitting on a table with other ingredients to make sofrito.
    Puerto Rican Homemade Sofrito
  • Close-up of a roasted chicken thigh served with guineos en escabeche, cherry tomatoes, and a side of macaroni salad partially visible.
    Puerto Rican Pollo Asado, Oven-Roasted Chicken
  • Large pot with cooked yellow rice.
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  • empanadas inside a paper towel lined bowl.
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  • A fork full of Pernil with a large serving bowl, avocados, dinner rolls, and small serving bowls with meat on the background.
    Instant Pot Puerto Rican Pernil (Pork Roast)
  • Puerto Rican corned beef brisket with potatoes and olives in a Dutch oven, served alongside plates of white rice and stewed beans.
    Puerto Rican-Style Dutch-Oven Corned Beef

Iโ€™d love to hear from you! Did you try this recipe? Leave a review and rating below. Letโ€™s connect on Instagram, and donโ€™t forget to join my weekly email list for fresh new recipes.

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