Cochinita Pibil
Equipment
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 Kg Pork shoulder a large piece or cut in big chunks
- 20 g achiote paste
- 2 large oranges
- 1 lemon
- 1 tsp oregano
- ½ white onion shredded
- 3 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 large banana leaf fresh, optional
- ¼ cup water
To serve
- corn tortillas taqueras small corn tortillas
- 1 cup pickled onion
- 1 cup habanero spicy salsa
To make pickled red onion
- 1 large red onion peeled and finely dice
- 1 tsbp salt
- 3 limes
- ½ tsp dried oregano
To make habanero salsa
- 1 large habanero or scotch bonnet
- 2 tomatoes
- ½ white onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 cup water
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
To make Cochinita Pibil
- Get the juice out of the oranges and lemon. Put them together in a bowl and add the achiote paste. Then using a nutri bullet or hand blender, blend the achiote paste with the orange and lemon juice until all the achiote has dissolved.
- Place the pork meat in a large bowl and add the achiote marinade. Marinate over night or at least 2 hrs before cooking.
- To use the banana leaf, turn on a hob burner and pass the banana leaf over the fire, making sure not to burn it. It will go shiny and flexible. Place it in a dutch over (cast iron casserole) and add the pork with the achiote marinade, the ¼ cup of water, the onion, salt, garlic, dried oregno and wrap it very well. Put the lid on and place in the oven to 160° C.
- Cook for 1 hr and take it out to check if it needs more seasoning. Place the casserole back in the oven and cook for one more hour or until the pork is very tender that it falls apart.
To make the pickled red onion
- Dice a red onion. Add the salt and leave on the side for 10 minutes.
- Then rinse the onion to remove the salt excess and then add the juice of the three limes and the dried oregano. Mix and leave on the side until the onion has turn pink.
To make the habanero salsa
- Add all the habanero, tomatoes, onion and garlic in a sauce pan and add the water. Bring to a boil and lower the heat. Simmer for 10 minutes and set aside to cool down.
- Once cool down, blend until smooth and add salt.
- When everything is ready, just heat the corn tortillas. Shred the pork and serve over a corn tortilla, add some pickled red onion and some spicy habanero salcita. Enjoy this lovely cochinita with family and friends with some very cold cervecitas (beers).