Mexican · Lunch · Dinner
Cochinita Pibil
Tender Yucatán-style pork marinated in earthy achiote and tangy citrus, slow-roasted in banana leaves until it shreds, then piled into warm corn tortillas with bright pickled red onions. This lighter version uses trimmed pork shoulder and skims the fat from the juices without losing the deep, smoky-sweet flavour.
- Prep
- 140 min
- Cook
- 180 min
- Total
- 320 min
- Serves
- 6
Calories come from: Carbs 38% · Fat 26% · Protein 36%
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Ingredients
For 6 servings- 1 kg (2.2 lb)Boneless pork shoulder, visible fat trimmed
- 1 block (3.5 oz)100 gAchiote (annatto) paste
- 1/2 cup120 gOrange juice, fresh
- 1/4 cup60 gLime juice, fresh (for marinade)
- 4 cloves12 gGarlic
- 1 tspGround cumin
- 1 tspDried oregano (Mexican if possible)
- 1/4 tspGround allspice
- 1/2 tspGround black pepper
- 1/2 tspSalt (for pork)
- 1/2 cup120 gWater
- 2 large sheets150 gBanana leaves (or foil), for wrapping (optional)
- 1 large150 gRed onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup60 gLime juice, fresh (for pickled onions)
- 1/4 tspSalt (for pickled onions)
- 1 small8 gHabanero chilli, finely sliced (optional)
- 12 small300 gCorn tortillas, small
- 1/4 cup10 gFresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
Steps
- 1
Crumble the achiote paste into a blender with the orange juice, marinade lime juice, garlic, cumin, oregano, allspice, black pepper and 1/2 tsp salt; blend until smooth.
- 2
Cut the trimmed pork into 5 cm (2 in) chunks and place in a bowl.
- 3
Pour the achiote marinade over the pork and toss to coat every piece.
- 4
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for deeper flavour.
- 5
Meanwhile, toss the sliced red onion with the pickling lime juice, 1/4 tsp salt and habanero (if using); refrigerate until serving.
- 6
Heat the oven to 165 °C (325 °F).
- 7
If using banana leaves, briefly pass them over a gas flame or hot pan to soften, then use them to line a baking dish with plenty of overhang.
- 8
Add the pork and all its marinade to the dish and pour the water around it.
- 9
Fold the leaves over the pork (or cover tightly with foil) and seal the dish with a lid or foil.
- 10
Roast for about 3 hours, until the pork shreds easily with a fork (it will be well above the safe 63 °C / 145 °F).
- 11
Lift the pork out and shred it with two forks, discarding any remaining fat.
- 12
Skim the fat off the cooking juices, then stir enough juices back into the shredded pork to keep it moist.
- 13
Warm the corn tortillas in a dry pan for about 30 seconds per side.
- 14
Fill the tortillas with pork, top with pickled onions and cilantro, and serve.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of pork and roast for about 1 1/2 hours until they shred easily.
- Swap the orange and lime juice for bottled sour orange (naranja agria) juice for a more traditional Yucatecan flavour.
- Leave out the habanero in the pickled onions, or use a milder jalapeño, for a family-friendly heat level.
- For a gluten-free meal, choose achiote paste and corn tortillas that are labelled gluten-free, since some brands contain wheat or are made in shared facilities.
Storage
Refrigerate the shredded pork in its juices within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days, reheating until steaming hot; the pork also freezes well for up to 3 months. Keep the pickled onions in a separate sealed jar in the fridge for up to about 5 days.
Make ahead
Marinate the pork overnight and make the pickled onions up to a day ahead. You can also roast and shred the pork a day or two early, then reheat it with its skimmed juices and warm the tortillas just before serving.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
No major allergens in the ingredients.
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (322 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 392 kcal | 122 kcal |
| Protein | 35.4 g | 11 g |
| Carbohydrates | 36.8 g | 11.4 g |
| of which sugars | 4.2 g | 1.3 g |
| Fiber | 5.2 g | 1.6 g |
| Fat | 11.1 g | 3.4 g |
| of which saturated | 3.6 g | 1.1 g |
| Sodium | 799 mg | 248 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
