Cochinita Pibil
Cochinita pibil comes from the Yucatán Peninsula, where the Maya cooked meat in underground pits called pib long before pork itself arrived with the Spanish; the technique survived even as the ingredient changed. Achiote, the rust-colored seed of the annatto tree, gives the dish both its signature color and a faintly peppery, earthy flavor, while sour orange, native to the region, supplies the acidity that tenderizes the meat during its long marinade. Traditionally the wrapped pork was lowered into a stone-lined pit filled with hot coals and left to cook for hours beneath the earth, a method still used for Sunday feasts in Yucatán villages. Modern cooks recreate the same slow, banana-leaf-wrapped result in an oven or a pot, and the dish now travels far beyond its home region, showing up in taco stands and restaurants across Mexico and increasingly abroad.
Brick-red achiote marinade
Ground annatto seed paste, sour orange juice, and garlic form a deeply colored marinade that seasons the pork all the way through.
Wrapped in banana leaves
Softened banana leaves seal in moisture and add a subtle grassy aroma as the pork slowly cooks.
Slow-cooked until falling apart
Hours of gentle, low heat break down the pork shoulder until it shreds effortlessly with a fork.
Tangy pickled red onion
Quick-pickled red onion in lime juice cuts through the richness with a sharp, bright crunch.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 2 kg pork shoulder, cut into large chunks
- 100g achiote paste (annatto seed paste)
- 1 cup sour orange juice (or mix of orange and lime juice)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Banana leaves, for wrapping
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced, for pickled onion garnish
How to make it
- 1Blend the achiote paste with sour orange juice, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper into a thick, brick-red marinade.
- 2Rub the pork chunks generously with the marinade and let them rest, covered, in the refrigerator for at least four hours or overnight.
- 3Pass banana leaves briefly over an open flame to soften them, then line a deep baking dish or pot with the leaves.
- 4Place the marinated pork in the center and fold the leaves tightly over the meat to seal in the juices.
- 5Cook the wrapped pork low and slow, either in a low oven or a covered pot, for about three to four hours until it falls apart easily.
- 6While the pork cooks, toss the sliced red onion with lime juice and a pinch of salt so it turns bright pink and tangy.
- 7Unwrap the tender pork, shred it with two forks, and serve it piled onto warm tortillas with the pickled onion on top.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
