Cochinita Pibil, a staple of cuisine in the Yucatan Peninsula, and a historically Mayan dish, is an ancient recipe for pit pork that is even a cornerstone of Yucatan cooking today.
Far different than the cuisine from the rest of the country, Yucatan cuisine hearkens back to its Mayan roots and is an earthy, rich palate full of local flavor.
Ingredients
1 pound boneless pork shoulder roast, cut into 3” – 4” chunks
3 average-sized garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
2½ teaspoons annatto or achiote seeds,
¾ teaspoon dried oregano
¾ teaspoon black peppercorn
¼ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 whole clove
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup sour-orange juice
Corn tortillas
Lemon juice to taste (optional)
For the Pickled Red Onions
1 medium red onion, sliced into rings ⅛” thick
1, 12-ounce bottle sour-orange juice, also called Naranja Agria
For the Roasted Habanero Salsa
2 medium-sized, fresh habanero chilies
1 average-sized garlic clove, unpeeled
1 tablespoon lime juice
⅛ teaspoon salt, or to taste
Preparation
For the meat marinade
To make the achiote marinade, put the annatto or achiote seeds and oregano into a spice grinder with the black pepper, cumin, cloves and cinnamon; grind until everything is as fine and powdery as you can get it.
In a small food processor, combine the ground mixture with ½ teaspoon salt, the garlic and ¼ cup of the sour-orange juice.
Blend until smooth, until you feel very a little grittiness when rubbed between your fingers. Clean out the food processor and set aside to make the salsa.
In a large bowl or quart-sized Ziploc bag, combine the meat and marinade, coating the meat evenly.
Cover or seal the bag and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
For the onion marinade
Place onion rings into a bowl.
Mix the remaining sour-orange juice (or the lime-orange combo) with ¼ teaspoon salt.
Cover the onions with boiling water and wait half a minute, then strain the steaming onions and return them to the dish.
Pour the remaining juice completely cover the onions, submerging them all as best as you can manage. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (***This should be done overnight at the same time as the meat is marinading)
For the habanero salsa
In a small, ungreased skillet over medium-high heat, roast the chilies and garlic, turning constantly, until they’re soft and blackened in spots, 10 to 15 minutes.
Slip the skin off the garlic and add it with the roasted chilies, the lime juice, salt and 2 tablespoons of water to the food processor. Pulse until smooth, then cover and chill overnight.
For combining and cooking the components
The next day, place the pork and its marinade in a 2-quart slow-cooker.
Cover and cook on the low setting for 12 hours.
If you want, you can choose to cook for 12 hours on low heat in the over. If so, make sure to “tent” the meat in the oven so that it can air, but stays moist.
Remove cochinita pibil cooked meat and shred it with a pair of forks
Set out with a large fork and spoon (for spooning up the juices).
Pile the cochinita pibil onto warmed, corn tortillas. Drain the onion pickle and set it out in a serving bowl to top each portion with tiny dabs of the salsa.
The finished dish will keep for a couple of days, covered and refrigerated, though the texture of the meat won’t be quite as nice as fresh-from-the-pot.
Warm refrigerated cooked meat slowly in a 300° F. oven in the juice, covered. The onion pickle will keep for a week or so in the refrigerator, well covered.
