Penjas are the leaves of the maguey plant. You wrap the lamb in the leaves
that have been lightly roasted to amke them easy to handle, and that helps
keep the meat moist and insulates from the hot coals used to heat the hole
where it will be cooked overnight. Usually they tie the leaves with string
and serve the kilos of meat still steaming so you, the customer, cut the
string and unwrap the leaves opening to the still steaming and most
delicious meat ever. In your version the cooking is done in a large steamer
and the maguey leaves acting as blankets, and the result will be very much
like the original cooking method used around the Valley of Mexico since
before Columbus ever saw his first native American.

"krusty kritter" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> What would "pencas de maguey asados" be? Is some part of the maguey
> plant commonly eaten in Mexico, or does this part of the recipe just
> get used and then thrown away? I'm trying to imagine whether it's
> edible or adds flavor, or is superfluous.
>
> Barbacoa (Barbecued Lamb)
> (para 20 a 24 personas) (for 20 to 24 people)
> 1 pierna de cordero de 6 a 8 libras (1 leg of lamb, about 6 to 8
> pounds)
> 4 libras de costillas de cordero (4 pounds of lamb ribs)
> 1/2 libra de garbanzos previamente remojados (1/4 pound of previously
> soaked garbanzos)
> 2 libras de zanahorias cortadas en cuadritos (2 pounds of diced
> carrots)
> 6 hojas de laurel (6 bay leaves)
> 10 dientes de ajo (10 cloves of garlic)
> 10 tomates verdes con cascara partidos in cuatro (10 green tomatoes
> with skin, cut into quarters)
> 4 litros de pulque, cerveza or agua (4 liters of pulque, beer, or
> water)
> 8 pencas de maquey asadas (8 pencas of roasted maguey)
> 12 hojas de aguacate (12 avocado leaves)
> 6 chiles verdes (opcional) (6 green chiles--optional)
>
> Preparacion: (Preparation
>
> En el fondo del recipinete pone el liquido, los garbanzos, zanahorias,
> laurel, ajo, chiles, 4 hojas de aguacate.
>
> (Place the liquid, the garbanzos, carrots, bay leaf, garlic, chile 4
> avocado leaves in the bottom of the steamer).
>
> Se coloca la rejilla en el parte superior de la vaporera, que se forra
> con pencas de maguey; se colocan las carnes alternando con hojas de
> aguacate, se cubre con mas pencas de maguey y se tapa sellando la
> orilla del recipiente con masa de tortillas o una mezcla de harina y
> agua que forme una masa parecid a migaja de pan.
>
> (Place the grid in the upper part of the steamer , so that it is
> covered with pencas of maguey; the meats are placed alternating with
> avocado leaves, it is covered with more pencas of maguey and is covered
> sealing to the border of the container with tortilla masa or a mixture
> of flour and water that forms a crust similar to breadcrumbs.)
>
> Se cuece directamente al fuego durante 4 hours aproximadente.
>
> (Cook directly over the fire for approximately 4 hours.)
>