What’s a Mixiote?

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Mixiote is a type of tough outer membrane that is shed from the leaves of young Agave americana plants. The term also refers to a dish made by wrapping membranes, which often come in layers, around meat and then steaming the bundles until the meat is cooked through. The use of myxiotes for cooking used to be more prevalent in mainstream Mexican cuisine, but more modern versions typically use substitutions for the leaf membranes because the practice of removing the membranes has been made illegal in many areas due to the potential damage or killing young plants.

One of the most common substitutions for mixiote when preparing dishes is banana leaves. Banana leaves are large, flat green leaves that grow on the banana plant and are thought by many to have a stout texture similar to myxiotes. If fresh banana leaves are not available, packaged leaves are often sold in flat sheets at Hispanic grocery stores. Other cooks may opt for parchment paper or aluminum foil as a substitute for wrapping and bundling ingredients. While traditional myxiote membranes are not used, the dish itself is usually referred to as myxiote.

Meats tend to be the most commonly used main ingredient when preparing mixiote recipes. Beef, lamb, chicken or pork are usually marinated in a mixture containing crushed peppers, such as red or green chiles, for a spicy taste. Other seasonings, such as cumin, garlic or citrus juice, are often recommended to be added to the marinade for extra flavor.

A mixiote is typically made by first cutting your favorite meat into bite-sized pieces or other desired size. It is then mixed with the chopped peppers and other marinade seasonings and marinated in the refrigerator for at least an hour to flavor the meat. Many recipes recommend marinating the meat for as long as possible, up to overnight, for the most flavorful results. To prepare mixioti, individual pieces of meat are each wrapped tightly with a banana leaf or other preferred covering to form a bundle, which traps the heat and allows it to circulate and lightly steam the meat during the cooking process. The bundles can be tied with string to secure the meat filling and prevent it from falling off the leaves during cooking.

Mixiotes can be slow cooked in a variety of ways, including steaming, baking, or slow grilling over a fire pit. The exact cooking time can vary depending on the type of meat used, but it usually takes about three hours to cook the meat and tenderize it. Mixiote is traditionally served by cutting each bundle and eating the meat directly from the leaves or other toppings or by wrapping the meat in a heated tortilla.

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