Mixiotes (meesh-YOTE-es) are Mexico’s version of foods cooked in parchment. It’s an ancient, versatile way to cook. Here’s a recipe and some tips and tricks to make them at home.

It is believed that mixiotes originated in central Mexico, in places like Hidalgo and Tlaxcala. The method predates the Spanish arrival, and may be thousands of years old.

It’s pretty wild, when you think about it: There’s a thin membrane on the inside of the giant leaves of the agave plant that you can pull off in one or two pieces if you are careful. Turns out this membrane is 1) flexible when wet, 2) dries well, and 3) imparts a lovely flavor to whatever is cooked inside.

Cooks would then tie the bundles up and steam them in pits along with things like tamales. When they’re ready to eat, you open the bundle, enjoy the aroma, and eat your mixiotes with corn tortillas.

The process remains popular in central Mexico, so much so that in many of the Mexican states there, it’s now illegal to harvest the hojas para mixiotes because stripping that membrane often kills the agave, which can take a dozen years of more to mature.

It’s a wonderful byproduct of mezcal or tequila making, however, so you can still find the hojas here and there. I found mine in the Hidalgo Market in Tijuana.

How to Make Mixiotes

Chances are you aren’t close to an actual market in Mexico, and I’ve never once seen hojas para mixiotes in a Latin market in the US. So what to do? Do what most Mexicans do and use parchment paper.

Parchment paper is the closest thing to the agave membranes, and I think it’s a better option than banana leaves, which I have seen used in Mexico, and definitely better than straight foil. I do not like using foil directly because it can leave a tinny taste. I do use foil as a second layer, however.

Generally speaking, making mixiotes is as easy as marinating your main item in an adobo, putting things in a wrapper, tying the wrapper and then steaming the bundles until what’s inside is cooked.

But like anything, there are wrinkles — mostly when one thing, usually the meat, takes a lot longer to cook than whatever else is in the bundle.

In this case, you par-cook the thing, meat, potatoes, etc., and then add it to the bundle to steam.

Endlessly Versatile

I’ve seen mixiotes recipes with damn near everything inside, from mushrooms and vegetarian options to fish, lamb, chicken, beef, and, most interestingly, lots of different kinds of game.

Because this method is so ancient, game remains a favorite for mixiotes. So I was overjoyed to see a recipe that used, of all things, squirrel! It’s tucked away in a book called Recetario de la Huasteca Hidalguense, and it’s a stripped down version of modern mixiotes.

I am using squirrel for these mixiotes, but don’t get all hung up on that. Chicken, turkey legs, rabbit, any white meat poultry like pheasant, grouse or quail will work with this recipe.

And use this method as a model for mixiotes with red meat or fish. Only the cooking times will vary.

You’ll want the meat or fish, plus interesting things to go with it, in your bundles. I suggest:

• Potatoes or another tuber. They show up a lot in mixiotes recipes.
• Nopales, pre-cooked to remove the mucilage. Here’s how to prep nopales for cooking.
• If you happen to see them in a Mexican market, peeled and quartered Xoconostle fruits, which are also very traditional. I know, esoteric, but hey.
• Onions and garlic, sliced, chopped or what have you.
• Definitely bay leaves, or better yet, dried avocado leaves, which are more traditional. You can buy avocado leaves online or in most MexiMarts.
• Mushrooms are a great option. Use any fresh ones you like, or, if by chance you have access to huitlacoche, a/k/a “corn smut,” use that.

One tip that makes a difference is if you can crush the spice mix that goes into your adobo marinate. Crushing releases more aroma than grinding with a burr grinder, and mixiotes are all about aroma.

The adobo you use for the meat keeps for weeks in the fridge, so you can make it ahead. You can also marinate your meat for up to two days before you steam your mixiotes.

Serving and storing

You want to serve your mixiotes with lots of corn tortillas — always corn with this one, not flour — and maybe a soup to go as another course. My top choice would be something like caldo tlalpeno, which is from the same area of Mexico.

If you have leftovers, you can keep the bundles tied and resteam them, or you can dump them into a container. I really like eating mixiotes as leftovers cooked in a pan with torn-up, stale tortillas, a little like chilaquiles.

Leftovers will keep a week in the fridge, and they freeze well.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below; I’d love to hear how everything went. If you’re on Instagram, share a picture and tag me at huntgathercook.