Cochinita pibil ("baby pig, pit-cooked") is Mayan-rooted Yucatecan cooking. Traditionally it's buried in a fire pit (píib), but a low oven and a banana-leaf wrap get you the same fall-apart, achiote-stained pork at home. The banana leaf isn't just for show — it perfumes the meat and keeps it moist.
Ingredients
- 2 kg (4 lb) pork shoulder, in large chunks
- 100 g achiote (annatto) paste
- 1 cup sour orange juice (or ⅔ orange + ⅓ lime)
- 5 cloves garlic · 1 tsp cumin · 1 tsp oregano · 2 tsp salt
- Banana leaves for wrapping
- Pickled onion: 1 red onion + ½ cup lime juice + salt
- Warm corn tortillas to serve
Method
- Blend the achiote paste, sour orange juice, garlic, cumin, oregano, pepper and salt into a smooth, loose marinade. Coat the pork thoroughly and marinate overnight.
- Soften the banana leaves over a flame or in a warm oven until pliable. Line a deep baking dish, letting the leaves overhang.
- Add the pork and all the marinade, then fold the banana leaves over to seal. Cover tightly with foil.
- Roast at 150°C (300°F) for 3½–4 hours, until the pork is meltingly tender and shreds with a fork.
- Meanwhile, thinly slice the red onion and steep in lime juice with a pinch of salt for 30 minutes. Shred the pork in its juices and serve on warm tortillas topped with the pickled onion.
🍊 Sour orange is the soul
Real cochinita uses Seville (sour) oranges. No sour orange? Mix regular orange juice with lime — about 2 parts orange to 1 part lime — to mimic that bright, tangy acidity that balances the rich pork.