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Cochinita Pibil

5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 5 pound boneless pork shoulder trimmed of large pieces of fat and cut into 3-4 inch pieces
  • For the marinade:
  • Whole garlic cloves from 1 head of garlic
  • 3.5 oz 1 package achiote (annatto) paste broken up into small pieces
  • 1/2 cup agave nectar
  • Juice from 4 oranges about 1 1/2 cups
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • ½ tbsp ground cloves
  • 10-12 bay leaves
  • ½ tsp liquid smoke
  • ½ tsp salt
  • For the glaze:
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 tbsp achiote paste chopped into small pieces
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 2 garlic cloves smashed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup agave nectar
  • Juice from 1 orange about 1/2 cup
  • For cooking the pork:
  • 1 package banana leaves* defrosted if frozen
  • Aluminum foil
  • Kosher salt
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • For the pickled onions:
  • 1 red onion sliced thinly
  • 6 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
  • 1 ½ tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
  • ½ tbsp sugar
  • ½ tbsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp coriander seeds
  • For serving:
  • Cojita cheese
  • Cilantro
  • Small corn tortillas
  • Lime wedges

Equipment

  • 9" x 13" roasting pan
  • Aluminum foil
  • Blender

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 275°F.
  2. In a blender, combine the ingredients for the marinade. Blend until you have a coarse puree.
  3. Trim the pork shoulder of any really large chunks of fat. You want to leave enough so that it helps tenderize the pork while cooking. Sprinkle with salt. Toss the pork with the marinade making sure it’s evenly coated.
  4. Gently heat the banana leaves over a gas burner. If you don’t have gas, you can just set them out in direct sunlight while you prepare the pork and the marinade. You want them to be pliable enough to fold them over the pork without breaking.
  5. Place the banana leaves in the pan, layering them so they will keep as much marinade as possible in (see photos) and leave ends hanging over the edge of the pan. Put the pork on top of the banana leaves, including all leftover marinade. Place a banana leaf on top of the pork and fold the sides of the leaves over the top, like a package. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
  6. Place the pork on the center rack in the oven and cook for 4 hours.
  7. While the pork is cooking, make the pickled onions. Place all ingredients for the onions in a medium saucepan on the stove and bring to a simmer. Gently stir the onion mixture until all onions are completely coated and beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Remove the mixture to a heatproof bowl and let sit at room temperature, stirring occasionally. These should be served at room temperature but will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in a covered container.
  8. An hour before the pork is done cooking, make the glaze. Place all glaze ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Let simmer on the stovetop until the mixture becomes thick and syrupy, about 45 minutes. If it gets too thick, add a little more orange juice.
  9. When the pork is done, remove from the oven, take off the foil and let sit for a few minutes. In a large frying pan, heat the 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat until just beginning to brown. Make sure the bottom of the pan is evenly coated with the butter. Using tongs, remove the pieces of pork shaking a little to remove excess marinade and place the pork pieces in the frying pan. Cook undisturbed for 3 minutes. Turn each piece over and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove pork to a serving platter and spoon the glaze over the pork, making sure each piece gets a little love. Serve on tortillas with pickled onions, cheese, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.

Notes

Note: Achiote (annatto) paste stains anything that’s even slightly porous (cloth, plastic, your hands, ceramic and porcelain, wood…sometimes silicone…). We highly recommend that you wear an apron when making this – we also use food grade gloves - and don’t use any light-colored cooking tools that you don’t want to end up with a lovely orangish/reddish hue :)