Cochinita Pibil
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 4 hr 20 min (includes marinating, pickling and cooling times)
- Active: 20 min
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 405
- Total Fat
- 26 g
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 17 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Protein
- 26 g
- Cholesterol
- 101 mg
- Sodium
- 636 mg
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 4 hr 20 min (includes marinating, pickling and cooling times)
- Active: 20 min
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 405
- Total Fat
- 26 g
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 17 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Protein
- 26 g
- Cholesterol
- 101 mg
- Sodium
- 636 mg
Ingredients
Marinade:
Pickled Onions and Habaneros:
Directions
- For the marinade: Put the oregano, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, bay leaves and cinnamon in a medium skillet, place over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and toasted, 35 to 45 seconds. Remove the bay leaves and set aside. Pour the remaining spices into the carafe of a high-powered blender. Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel.
- Add the guajillos to the skillet and place over medium heat. Cook, turning occasionally, until fragrant and turning a darker shade of red, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer to a medium bowl and cover with warm water. Wrap with plastic wrap or cover with a plate and soak until soft and pliable, 6 to 8 minutes, then drain.
- Add the garlic and Spanish onion to the same skillet over medium and cook, turning occasionally, until char marks appear, 6 to 8 minutes (if the garlic is cooking faster, transfer to the blender as it chars).
- Transfer the onions, garlic and soaked chiles to the blender and add the sour orange juice, white vinegar, achiote paste and 1 tablespoon salt. Blend on medium speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Toss the marinade over the pork in a medium bowl until evenly coated. Cover and marinate, refrigerated, for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
- For the pickled onions and habaneros: Meanwhile, whisk together the grapefruit juice, lime juice, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, peppercorns and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small glass bowl until the salt is dissolved. Toss the red onions and habaneros in the citrus mixture and refrigerate, covered, for at least 30 minutes before serving (see Cook’s Note).
- When ready to cook the pork, position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 250 degrees F.
- Wipe the banana leaves with a damp paper towel to get rid of any debris. Line the bottom of a small Dutch oven with 1 banana leaf (some of the leaf will line the sides, which is okay) and add the pork with the marinade. Add the reserved bay leaves, drape the remaining banana leaf loosely over the pork and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Bake until the pork is just tender, about 2 hours 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid from the Dutch oven and discard the top piece of banana leaf. Place the uncovered pot back into the oven and increase the heat to 350 degrees F. Bake until sauce has reduced and the pork is slightly browned, about 30 minutes. Let cool uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Discard the bay leaves and bottom banana leaf. Shred the pork using 2 forks, then stir to coat with the sauce, making sure all of the pork is covered. Season to taste with more salt.
- Serve with warm tortillas and a side of lime wedges and pickled onions and habaneros.
Cook’s Note
Be careful handling the habaneros -- they’re extremely spicy. I recommend using gloves to cut them. The pickled onions will be very spicy the first day but will mellow out the following days. If the achiote paste is not soft, mash the paste with the vinegar in a medium bowl until it breaks up, then add to the blender.
