For me, cooking is about community and family. It's about sharing time and experiences with friends and family. I like cooking things that take a lot of time because I like spending that time with people in the kitchen and just hanging out with very little other agenda. I often roast 20lbs of pork shoulder with my brother and cousin. It's delicious, cheap, feeds a crowd, and best of all takes 8-10 hours. It's been our thing for a few years now. It all seemed so perfect. But I may never be able to think about it the same way knowing what I know now. There is a better option. Barbacoa.
Why is barbacoa better? Simple, it takes longer. Plus you get to dig a pit and make a fire. Might need to inflict this on my parents yard at some point. Logistically crazy? Yes, but that's kind of the point. It's all about the sense of occasion, celebrating and exaggerating the simple joys in life, like fire, family, and food.
These guys know what's up. They only cook in this kitchen on weekends. So basically in their spare time they build 1500-2000 degree fires and cook hundreds of pounds of meat to feed the neighborhood. That's my kind of community service!