Cochinita Pibil
Achiote-citrus pork, banana leaves and pickled red onion.
Maui's an app that plans a whole week of dinners like this one. See how it works ↓
Achiote stains everything rust-red - wear an apron and use wood/glass for marinating, not plastic. The habanero is a side-bar, not the dish; let people add it themselves.
Ingredients
Everything below makes 6 servings.
- 3 lbboneless pork shouldercut into 3-inch chunks
- 3 tbspachiote paste
- 1 cuporange juice (fresh)
- ½ cuplime juice (fresh)
- ¼ cupwhite vinegar
- 6garlic clovessmashed
- 1 tspground cumin
- 1 tspdried oregano (Mexican preferred)
- ½ tspground allspice
- 1 tspblack peppercorns
- 2 largebanana leaves (optional)passed over flame to soften
- 1 largered onionthinly sliced
- 1habanero pepperthinly sliced
- 18corn tortillas
- 2½ tspkosher salt
In the app these rescale to however many people you're feeding.
Nutrition
Per serving, as written.
- 600calories
- 38gprotein
- 32gcarbs
- 36gfat
Swaps move these numbers. A different protein or base changes them.
Instructions
Knife work first, then the stove. Nothing below asks you to chop while something burns.
- Cut pork into 3-inch chunks.
- Smash 6 garlic cloves. Squeeze fresh orange and lime juice.
- Thinly slice red onion (set aside for pickle) and habanero (garnish).
- If using banana leaves, pass each side briefly over a gas flame to soften and release aroma.
Marinade
Blend achiote paste, orange juice, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano, allspice, peppercorns, and salt until smooth.
2 min · hands onMarinate
Toss pork chunks with marinade in dutch oven. Rest 30 min at room temp, or refrigerate overnight (much better).
30 min · hands offPickle onion
While pork marinates: combine sliced red onion and 1/2 cup white vinegar and 1/2 cup water and salt in a small bowl. Squish with fingers, rest at least 30 min.
30 min · hands offWrap and braise
Heat oven to 325°F. If using banana leaves, line the dutch oven (overhang ok), then add the marinated pork, fold leaves over to enclose. Cover with lid. Braise 3 hr until fork-tender.
180 min · hands offShred
Discard banana leaves. Shred pork in the pot with two forks, stirring into the rust-red braising liquid. Taste, adjust salt.
3 min · hands onPlate
Warm corn tortillas in dry skillet 20 sec per side. Pile cochinita onto tortillas, top with pickled red onion and a few habanero slices for those who want heat.
4 min · hands onMake it yours
Every swap here is one Maui already knows how to make, including what it does to the timing.
Chicken thighs braise in 60 min instead of 3 hr. Saves about 120 minutes.
Skip the long braise; simmer jackfruit in marinade 20 min. Saves about 150 minutes.
Cook rice and heat beans during braise. Adds about 5 minutes.
What keeps
Cochinita pibil gets better day 2 - the achiote deepens. Keeps 4 days, freezes 2 months.
Pickled onions hold 2 weeks.
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