Cochinita Pibil Recipe

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon allspice berries
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 clove

  use 2 if you love cloves
• 1/4 cup annatto seeds (achiote)

  1 ounce by weight/28 grams (or use 3 tablespoons achiote powder)
• 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano

  or use Italian oregano
• Salt to taste
• 1 spicy chili pepper

  optional - use a jalapeno for a touch of heat, serrano pepper for hotter, or habanero pepper for good level of heat
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 cup bitter orange juice

  or use 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice + 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice + 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 3 pound pork shoulder

  you can go up to 4 or 5 pounds
• 4 banana leaves

  (optional, but recommended)
• Pickled Red Onions
• Sliced peppers
• Lime wedges
• Spicy chili flakes
• Warmed tortillas

Instructions

• 1 Lightly toast the cumin seeds, allspice berries, coriander seeds, black
  peppercorns, and clove in a hot dry pan for 1-2 minutes, until they become
  fragrant. Add them to a food processor or spice grinder and grind into a powder
  (or use a mortar and pestle).
• 2 Add the annatto seeds (achiote) and Mexican oregano. Process into a powder.
• 3 Add the garlic and bitter orange juice. Process until smooth. It should be a bit
  loose.
• 4 Bring the pork shoulder to room temperature. Slice it into 4 large pieces and
  set into a bowl.
• 5 Pour the marinade over the pork and rub it into the meat. Cover the bowl and
  refrigerate. Marinate for at least 4 hours, or overnight for more flavor
  penetration.
• 6 When you are ready to cook, set 4 banana leaves into a large Dutch oven or
  baking dish. The leaves should be centered and overlapping, hanging out of the
  pot. Add the pork with the marinade into the center, then fold the leaves over
  the pork, enclosing it.
• 7 Heat your oven to 300 degrees F (150 C). Cover and bake for 4 hours, or until
  the meat is fork tender and easily shreds with a fork.
• 8 Heat the pot to medium-low and simmer for 4 hours, or until the meat is fork
  tender and easily shreds with a fork. (Add a little water if it becomes too dry
  during cooking.)
• 9 Cook for 6-8 hours on low heat or 4-5 hours on high heat, or until the meat is
  fork tender and easily shreds with a fork.
• 10 Shred the cochinita pibil (cooked pork) with forks. Serve on warmed tortillas
  topped with pickled red onions, lime wedges, sliced peppers, spicy chili flakes
  or your own favorite toppings.

Nutrition Info