cochinita pibil

Real cochinita pibil is not spicy, but it has a uniquely sweet, earthy aroma imparted by Seville oranges, achiote, charred garlic, and spices. That earthiness is backed with the aroma of the banana leaves it's cooked in, along with smokiness from hours of cooking. Maybe you can't make cochinita pibil without an actual pib, but you can fake it pretty darn well, and that's what we're going to do today.

Cochinita Pibil (Yucat&#225;n-Style Barbecued Pork) Recipe

For the Marinade:

(30 milliliters) lard or vegetable oil

achiote (annatto) seeds (1 1/2 ounces; 40 grams)

(about 6 grams) Mexican oregano

cloves

(3-inch) Ceylon cinnamon stick,

(about 8 grams) whole black peppercorns

(about 4 grams) whole cumin seed

(about 4 grams) whole allspice berries

(175 milliliters) bitter (Seville) orange juice, juice

(60 milliliters) white vinegar

(15 milliliters) soy sauce

Kosher salt

For the Pork:

(1.8kg) boneless pork shoulder

banana leaves (see note)

Roma tomatoes, sliced

bell

white onion, sliced

bay leaves

To Serve:

corn tortillas

Yucatán-style pickled onions and salsa

Thread garlic cloves onto a metal skewer and grill directly over the flame of a gas grill until completely blackened on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Alternatively, toss them in a dry skillet over high heat until blackened. Peel the blackened skins when cool enough to handle.

Heat oil or lard in a skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add achiote, oregano, cloves, cinnamon, black peppercorns, cumin, and allspice and cook, tossing and stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a blender along with peeled garlic, bitter-orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, and a big pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. Season to taste with more salt. It should be quite salty and have a consistency like ketchup. If too thick, thin it with water until it flows slowly.

Pour marinade over meat and rub it in with your hands. Cover, refrigerate, and let it rest at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

Lay out 2 to 3 overlapping banana leaves on a work surface. Place 1 piece of pork in the center and layer with some of the tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and bay leaves.

Form a tight parcel by folding the bottom side up and the top side down, then rolling in the sides. Secure parcel with kitchen twine and transfer pork to an oven-safe baking sheet or disposable aluminum baking tray. Repeat with remaining pork and banana leaves.

Light 3/4 chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange the coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill, and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Alternatively, set half the burners on a gas grill to the medium-high heat setting, cover, and preheat for 10 minutes.

Place a few large hardwood chunks on the coals (no need to soak). Place aluminum tray or baking sheet on the side opposite the fire and close lid. Smoke pork, aiming for a temperature between 250 and 300°F inside the chamber the whole time, until a metal skewer inserted into pork shows no resistance, 4 to 5 hours total. (Adjust heat by adding coals and/or adjusting the air vents.) Add extra wood chunks to the coals once per hour.

Remove pork from grill and transfer parcels to a deep platter, shallow bowl, or rimmed tray. Unwrap banana leaves and serve immediately, shredding pork with two forks, soaking it in drippings, and stuffing it into tortillas with pickled red onions and salsa.

A classic and unforgettable Yucatecan Mexican dish, modified here for an electric pressure cooker.  Scratch-made with wonderful ingredients, plus a smoky twist.

Pressure Cooker Puerco Pibil (Yucatecan Shredded Pork)

kg pork shoulder

tbsp whole annatto (see note)

cumin

coriander seed

tsp oregano (Mexican, if you can find it)

tsp allspice berries ((~14-16 berries))

tsp black peppercorns

bay leaf

tsp salt

cinnamon ((preferably true cinnamon, not cassia))

seville orange juice ((or 1/4 cup each orange, lime, and grapefruit juice))

roma tomatoes (halved)

red bell pepper (sliced)

tsp chipotle powder

banana leaves

tortillas ((I prefer corn))

smoky dried chili salsa

pickled red onions

guacamole

Cut the pork shoulder into several large pieces.  Cut across the grain of the muscle so that the cooked shredded pork isn't too long.

Combine all of the dry ingredients for the marinade in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.  Grind until you've obtained a fine powder.

Combine the Seville orange juice and spice powder to form a rub/marinade.  Pour this over the pork and ensure that it's evenly covered.  Marinade for a minimum of 2 hours or up to overnight.

Prep and Marinade

Line the bottom of the pressure cooker (see note below for slow cooker option) with one banana leaf and a splash of water.

Lay two large banana leave segments perpendicular to each other on a flat surface.

Place a piece of the marinated pork on the banana leaves, then some tomato and pepper and a little bit of the chipotle powder.  Repeat with the remaining portions, then bundle the banana leaves around everything and tie them closed with kitchen string (or use toothpicks to pin the leaves together at the top).

Place the wrapped pork in the pressure cooker (I used an Instant Pot).  Close and cook on manual for 40 minutes.  Release naturally, or wait 10 minutes and do a quick release if you're pressured for time.  Pun intended.

Remove the pork from the banana leaves and shred.  Serve as you like, though I personally love it in tacos with pickled red onions, smoky dried chili salsa, and guacamole.  See notes for related recipes.

To Cook

This Cochinita Pibil recipe is tender pork shoulder marinated in citrus juices, spices and slow roasted over low heat to perfection! This Mexican pork dish from the Yucatan area of Mexico is unbeatable!

Mexican Cochinita Pibil (Roasted Yucatan Pork)

orange juice

achiote paste

lime juice

garlic

salt

black pepper

cinnamon

lime wedges, fresh cilantro, cotija cheese crumbles

pork

First, make the marinade. To a food processor...

First, make the marinade. To a food processor or blender, add orange juice, lime juice, achiote paste and spices.

Place pork cubes into large Ziploc bag.

Pour the achiote mixture over pork. Press as...

Pour the achiote mixture over pork. Press as much air as possible out of the bag, then seal it. Gently massage the marinade into the pork. Place the bag in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 8 hours, up to 24 hours.

Once the pork is marinated, preheat oven to...

Once the pork is marinated, preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a 9x13'' baking dish or a large...

Line a 9x13'' baking dish or a large Dutch oven with aluminum foil, leaving enough foil on each side to wrap over the top of the pork.

Place marinated pork into the pan, and foil...

Place marinated pork into the pan, and foil aluminum foil flaps over the top of the pork.

Add one more sheet of foil over the...

Add one more sheet of foil over the top of the dish to seal it tight. This will keep the moisture in!

Bake for 4 hours, or until the pork...

Bake for 4 hours, or until the pork easily shreds with a fork.

Shred the pork and allow it to rest...

Shred the pork and allow it to rest in the remaining juices for 10-20 minutes prior to serving.

Serve warm with corn tortillas, fresh cilantro, crumbles...

Serve warm with corn tortillas, fresh cilantro, crumbles of cotija cheese and a squeeze of lime juice.

Cochinita Pibil is the most popular recipe out of the Yucatan Peninsula. This pulled pork recipe in an achiote paste is a fantastic and one of the most delicious dishes in Mexican gastronomy. Learn how to make it and enjoy it at home, like if you were in Mexico.

Cochinita Pibil

1.75 oz Achiote Paste ((50 grams, half stick of achiote paste))

bitter orange juice orange juice with white vinegar

red onion (sliced (optional))

All spice berry

tsp whole cumin

dried Mexican oregano

lard

Salt

Roast the banana leaf, if you bought it from the frozen section of the supermarket, wait until it is completely defrosted.

To roast the banana leaf, place it directly over a medium-high heat of your stove, it will start changing color and getting shiny when it gets in contact with the fire. Make sure not to burn the leaves; we just want them to be pliable.

Line your roasting pan with the oven bag and arrange the banana leaves overlapping and leaving some of the leaves hanging. You can also use aluminum foil instead of the oven bag.

The banana leaves give a lot of flavor to the dish, but if you can&#39;t find them use aluminum foil instead of the banana leaves or use an oven bag.

Prepared you banana leaves

In your blender, mix the Achiote (annatto) paste seasoning, garlic, black ground pepper, bitter orange juice or vinegar, cumin, and salt to season.

Achiote Sauce Marinade

Cut the pork meat into medium size pieces (about 2 ½ to 3inches). Place pork meat on the leaves, then pour the Achiote mixture over it. And add the lard to give it more flavor. Marinade for 2-4 hours or overnight.

Add the sliced onion, oregano, &amp; Allspice berries. Fold the ends of the banana leaves over the pork. Wrap tightly with the banana leaves and cover with the roasting pan lid. SEE NOTES above if using alummium foild or an oven bag.

Mix sauce and pork

Bake for 2 1/2 hours in a preheated oven at 350 degrees.

Remove roasting pan from oven and uncover the meat. The meat should be tender. If it isn’t ready, cover it again and return to the oven for another 30 minutes.

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