**Cochinita Pibil: A Culinary Journey to the Heart of Mayan Cuisine**
Embark on a tantalizing culinary adventure as we unveil the secrets of Cochinita Pibil, a traditional Mayan pork roast that has captivated taste buds for centuries. This delectable dish, originating from the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico, is a symphony of flavors that blends the richness of slow-roasted pork with the vibrant aromas of achiote, a flavorful annatto seed paste. As you delve into the depths of this article, you'll discover two enticing recipes that showcase the versatility and allure of Cochinita Pibil. The first recipe, a classic rendition, guides you through the traditional method of cooking the pork underground, immersing it in a fragrant marinade and wrapping it in banana leaves for an authentic Mayan experience. The second recipe offers a modern twist, presenting an oven-roasted version that captures the essence of Cochinita Pibil while accommodating contemporary kitchen settings. Whether you choose to embrace the ancient technique or savor the convenience of the oven, these recipes promise an explosion of flavors that will transport you to the heart of Mayan culinary heritage.
COCHINITA PIBIL RECIPE FROM YUCATáN
Out of all the dishes in the Yucatan Peninsula, I think this is the dish that is best known throughout the whole country. Cooked with Achiote and sour orange juice, the slow roasted pork meat was traditionally buried in a pit, hence the word "Pibil", meaning "buried" in Mayan.
Provided by Mely Martínez
Categories Pork
Time 2h45m
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- 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 hot fire of you gas stove, it will start changing color and getting some shiny while 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 as in the above picture. You can also use aluminum foil instead of the oven bag.
- In your blender, mix the Achiote (annatto) seasoning with the pepper and bitter orange juice. Add salt.
- Place the pork meat on the leaves. Pour the Achiote mixture over. And add the oil/lard to give it more flavor.
- Cover with the sliced onion and herbs. Fold the ends of the banana leaves over the pork.
- Close the oven bag and cut 3 or 4 slits according to packages instructions. If using aluminum foil wrap tightly . Add about 1 1/2 quarter of water to the roasting pan to create a steaming effect. One time, I forgot to add the water and it still came out great.
- Bake 2 1/2 hours in a preheated oven at 350 degrees. Add more water to the pan if needed.
- Remove roasting pan from oven and uncover the meat. The meat should be tender. If it isn't, cover and return to the oven for another 30 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 385 kcal, Carbohydrate 9 g, Protein 39 g, Fat 21 g, SaturatedFat 3 g, Cholesterol 107 mg, Sodium 85 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 6 g, ServingSize 1 serving
COCHINITA PIBIL (YUCATáN-STYLE BARBECUED PORK) RECIPE
Steps:
- Light 3/4 chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange coals on one side of 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 medium-high, cover, and preheat for 10 minutes.
- Remove pork from grill and transfer parcels to a deep platter or shallow bowl. Unwrap banana leaves, shred pork with two forks, stir it into drippings, stuff it into tortillas with pickled red onions and salsa, and serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 571 kcal, Carbohydrate 23 g, Cholesterol 138 mg, Fiber 4 g, Protein 39 g, SaturatedFat 13 g, Sodium 596 mg, Sugar 4 g, Fat 36 g, ServingSize Serves 8 to 12, UnsaturatedFat 0 g
AUTHENTIC COCHINITA PIBIL (SPICY MEXICAN PULLED PORK)
A traditional Mexican dish without the work! I couldn't believe that something that good was SO easy to make. The achiote paste can easily be found at most Mexican grocery stores. Mouthwatering!!!!
Provided by gem
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Latin American Mexican
Time 6h55m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Combine the onion, habanero peppers, lime juice, and salt in a bowl; cover and refrigerate while preparing and cooking the pork. Use rubber gloves when preparing the habanero peppers and avoid touching your eyes, nose, or skin while slicing peppers.
- Place the guajillo peppers in a bowl; pour enough hot water over the peppers to cover. Allow to soak until the peppers are softened, about 10 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet at medium-high heat. Season pork with salt and pepper; cook in the hot oil until completely browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the pork to a slow cooker.
- Combine the guajillo peppers, orange juice, vinegar, garlic, and achiote paste in a blender; blend until smooth. Pour the sauce over the pork cubes in the slow cooker.
- Cook on High until the pork easily falls apart, 6 to 8 hours. Remove the pork to a serving dish and shred with 2 forks. Pour the achiote sauce over the shredded pork. To serve, top with the onion-habanero salsa.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 468 calories, Carbohydrate 39.6 g, Cholesterol 89.2 mg, Fat 24.9 g, Fiber 8.1 g, Protein 27.1 g, SaturatedFat 8.3 g, Sodium 368.5 mg, Sugar 13.3 g
YUCATAN PORK BAKED IN BANANA LEAVES: COCHINITA PIBIL
Provided by Food Network
Categories main-dish
Time P1DT2h30m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 21
Steps:
- Run the banana leaves under warm water for about 5 minutes to defrost. Line a medium baking dish with the banana leaves.
- Combine the achiote paste, garlic, vinegar, orange juice, and salt in a blender until smooth. In a large bowl, rub the achiote mixture into the meat. Place the meat in the prepared baking dish. Wrap the meat with banana leaves. Cover container and refrigerate for 24 hours.
- After meat has marinated, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Add 1 cup water to the baking dish. Bake the meat until fork tender, about 2 hours.
- Serve wrapped meat on a bed of steamed white rice with Marinated Red Onions and Habanero Salsa on the side. Alternatively, remove meat from banana leaves and wrap in fresh, warm tortillas with Marinated Red Onions and Habanero Salsa on top.
- In a dry skillet, lightly toast the habanero chiles. Stem, seed, and roughly chop the peppers. Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into a small serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
PORK MIMI'S WAY, YUCATAN STYLE: COCHINITA PIBIL
Steps:
- Prepare marinade with the orange juice, vinegar, achiote, garlic, and salt, to taste, and mix thoroughly. Rub the mixture into the meat and marinate at room temperature for 1 hour, or refrigerated, for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
- Line a roaster pan with heavy foil and arrange the marinated pork in it, covering the meat with the marinade. Cover pan with foil tightly and bake for 2 to 3 hours. Check often and turn pieces of meat in their own juices. Roasting times vary according to the toughness of the meat.
- Chop meat into cubes and discard any fatty parts. Serve with a basket of freshly made corn tortillas.
COCHINITA PIBIL
The traditional way to make Yucatecan cochinita pibil is to bury a pig in a steaming, smouldering, stone-lined pit and cook it slowly for many hours. The pork has first been marinated with a bright red paste of achiote seeds, garlic, spices and bitter orange juice, and then wrapped in banana leaves. This tender meat is pulled and served simply in its own juices with hot tortillas and pickled onion. Diana Kennedy's no-fuss method for home cooks involves baking a small piece of pork in the oven for just a few hours, inside a heavy lidded pot, with a little water at the bottom.
Provided by Tejal Rao
Categories main course
Time 4h
Yield Serves 4
Number Of Ingredients 21
Steps:
- Score the fat of the pork, evenly salt the meat and set it aside while you make the marinade. In a dry saucepan over medium heat, toast the garlic cloves until they're charred all over, then remove. In the same pan, add cumin, peppercorns, allspice, red-chile powder, cloves and cinnamon. Toast until you can really smell the cumin and pepper. Grind spices, and mix in a food processor until smooth with the oregano, charred garlic, achiote paste, all the citrus zest and about half the juice.
- Place two overlapping banana leaves on your work surface, and put the pork at the center. Rub the spice paste all over the meat, arrange the sliced white onion on top and roll the whole thing up, folding the sides like wrapping paper. (If it unravels, tie it closed with some kitchen twine.) Set the parcel in the fridge for a few hours, or overnight.
- Heat oven to 300. Put the parcel on a rack, or a ring of scrunched-up aluminum foil, inside a heavy pot with a half cup of water at the bottom. Bake with the lid on until the meat is very tender and yields easily to a fork, about 4 hours. Meanwhile, mix the chopped red onion with remaining citrus juices, salt and habanero, and set aside.
- While the meat is still warm, carefully transfer the parcel to a serving dish. Use a fork to shred the meat, spoon over the cooking juices and mix well. Serve with pickled onions, warmed tortillas and halved limes.
COCHINITA PIBIL
This is my favorite Mexican pork dish that is always a hit. Can be toned down with less or no peppers and still tastes awesome. If you can find Seville orange juice, use it in place of the lemon and regular orange juice for authentic Mexican flavor. Quite easy to prepare too! Your whole family will love this famous Mexican dish!
Provided by TAWMTHEBOMB
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Latin American Mexican
Time 2h30m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Poke holes all over the pork with a fork. Rub achiote paste all over the pork, and set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the orange juice, lemon juice, and habanero peppers. Mix in the cumin, paprika, chili powder, coriander, salt and pepper. Place pork in the mixture, cover, and refrigerate overnight, turning two or three times.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Wrap the pork and marinade in aluminum foil or banana leaves that have been soaked in water for 30 minutes. Place into a casserole dish, and cover.
- Bake for about 2 hours, until the meat falls off the bone. The slower you cook it, the better it is. You could also bake it in a 200 degrees F (95 degrees C) oven for 4 or 5 hours, or in a slow cooker without the foil or leaves.
- While the pork is cooking, make the sauce. Bring the red wine vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan. Add onions, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until tender. Pour sauce over pork, and serve with white rice and corn tortillas. Each person can make tacos or fajitas with the pork, the rice and the sauce.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 221.9 calories, Carbohydrate 10 g, Cholesterol 60.2 mg, Fat 11.7 g, Fiber 1.3 g, Protein 19.1 g, SaturatedFat 4.2 g, Sodium 58.1 mg, Sugar 3.5 g
COCHINITA PIBIL (MEXICAN PULLED PORK IN ANNATTO SAUCE)
This cochinita pibil recipe is straight from Mexico. Pork shoulder is cooked in a spicy red annatto sauce, then shredded and served with habanero sauce.
Provided by Chef Gaby Cervello
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Latin American Mexican
Time 1h50m
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Combine achiote paste, white onion, garlic, orange juice, lemon juice, 1/4 cup vinegar, 2 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon black pepper, and 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano in a blender; blend marinade until smooth.
- Rub pork with salt and pepper and place in a pressure cooker. Add lard and pour marinade over pork. Add 2 cups water. Close cooker securely and place pressure regulator over vent according to manufacturer's instructions. Heat to High heat until steam escapes in a steady flow and makes a whistling sound, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low or low. Cook for 45 minutes from the start of the whistling sound. Let pressure release naturally according to manufacturer's instructions, 5 to 10 minutes. Unlock lid and transfer pork to a large platter.
- Prepare the habanero sauce while the meat is cooking. Combine red onion and habanero chiles in a gravy boat. Add 1/2 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup white vinegar, and warm water. Season with salt, pepper, and dried oregano and mix until everything is well combined.
- Shred meat with 2 forks and return to the pressure cooker with the cooking juices. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook uncovered until cooking juices have reduced, about 30 minutes. Serve with habanero sauce.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 421.9 calories, Carbohydrate 8.3 g, Cholesterol 122 mg, Fat 25.6 g, Fiber 0.9 g, Protein 37.6 g, SaturatedFat 8.9 g, Sodium 1333.5 mg, Sugar 4.7 g
Tips:
- Choose the right cut of pork: Achiote paste is a traditional ingredient in cochinita pibil, and it can be found in most Latin American grocery stores. If you can't find achiote paste, you can substitute 1 tablespoon of paprika, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon of dried oregano.
- Marinate the pork overnight: This will allow the flavors of the marinade to penetrate the meat and make it more tender.
- Use a banana leaf or aluminum foil to wrap the pork: This will help to keep the pork moist and flavorful.
- Cook the pork until it is fall-apart tender: This will take about 2-3 hours in a slow cooker or oven.
- Serve the pork with your favorite toppings: Some popular options include pickled red onions, avocado, cilantro, and sour cream.
Conclusion:
Cochinita pibil is a delicious and flavorful dish that is perfect for any occasion. It is a traditional Mayan dish that is made with pork,achiote paste, and a variety of other spices. The pork is marinated overnight and then roasted until it is fall-apart tender. Cochinita pibil is typically served with pickled red onions, avocado, cilantro, and sour cream. If you are looking for a new and exciting dish to try, cochinita pibil is a great option. It is easy to make and is sure to be a hit with your family and friends.
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