COCHINITA PIBIL

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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

1 pork shoulder, 3-4 pounds
4 tablespoons salt
4-6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon whole allspice
1 tablespoon red-chile powder
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
4 tablespoons achiote-seed paste
1 orange, zested and juiced
1 grapefruit, zested and juiced
1 lime, juiced
2 banana leaves, wiped clean
1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
1 red onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 habanero, seeded and finely chopped
Corn tortillas
Lime, optional

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.

Malachi Samuel
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This recipe is a little time-consuming, but it's worth it. The cochinita pibil was amazing! The pork was so tender and flavorful, and the sauce was perfect.


Adeola Olomo
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I followed the recipe exactly, but the cochinita pibil didn't turn out as good as I hoped. The pork was a little dry, and the sauce was bland.


Donna Gomes
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This is the best cochinita pibil recipe I've ever tried. The pork was fall-apart tender, and the sauce was rich and flavorful. I will definitely be making this again.


Julie Nederveen
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I made this recipe for a party, and it was a huge success. Everyone loved the cochinita pibil. It was so flavorful and juicy.


Sr Rayhan
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This is the best cochinita pibil recipe I've ever tried. The pork was fall-apart tender, and the sauce was rich and flavorful. I will definitely be making this again.


Md Jaman
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I've made this recipe several times now, and it's always a crowd-pleaser. The pork is always moist and juicy, and the flavors are amazing. I highly recommend this recipe!


Monica Jenkins
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This was my first time making cochinita pibil, and it turned out great! The pork was fall-apart tender, and the sauce was rich and flavorful. I will definitely be making this again.


Mishkatul Karim
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I followed the recipe exactly, but the cochinita pibil didn't turn out as good as I hoped. The pork was a little dry, and the sauce was bland.


Asher Stalnaker
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This is the best cochinita pibil recipe I've ever tried. The pork was fall-apart tender, and the sauce was rich and flavorful. I will definitely be making this again.


waqas khuwa waqas khuwa
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I made this recipe for a party, and it was a huge success. Everyone loved the cochinita pibil. It was so flavorful and juicy.


rashid rofi
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This recipe is a little time-consuming, but it's worth it. The cochinita pibil was amazing! The pork was so tender and flavorful, and the sauce was perfect.


Troy Sublett
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I've made this recipe several times, and it's always a hit. The pork is always moist and tender, and the flavors are amazing. I highly recommend this recipe!


Ali Seena
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I followed the recipe exactly, but the cochinita pibil didn't turn out as good as I hoped. The pork was a little dry, and the sauce was bland.


talis 86
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This is the best cochinita pibil recipe I've ever tried. The pork was fall-apart tender, and the sauce was rich and flavorful. I will definitely be making this again.


waqas mustafa
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I made this recipe for a party, and it was a huge success. Everyone loved the cochinita pibil. It was so flavorful and juicy.


Malakhi Deez
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This recipe is a little time-consuming, but it's worth it. The cochinita pibil was amazing! The pork was so tender and flavorful, and the sauce was perfect.


Syco Mano
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I followed the recipe exactly, and the cochinita pibil turned out perfectly. The pork was moist and tender, and the sauce was delicious. I served it with tortillas, beans, and rice, and it was a hit with my family.


Rebecca clover Buwule
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This was my first time making cochinita pibil, and it turned out great! The pork was fall-apart tender, and the sauce was rich and flavorful. I will definitely be making this again.


Marvin Adraneda
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I've made this recipe several times now, and it's always a crowd-pleaser. The pork is always moist and juicy, and the flavors are amazing. I highly recommend this recipe!


Jabir Hussen
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This cochinita pibil recipe is a keeper! The pork was so tender and flavorful, and the achiote paste gave it a beautiful red color. I served it with pickled onions and cilantro, and it was a hit with my family.


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