Cochinita Pibil (Yucatan Pork in Banana Leaves)

Traditional Mayan cochinita pibil is cooked in an earthen oven, but we've decided to try our roaster oven as a substitute. While we may not have met the earthiness of the traditional recipe, it still worked well.

How To:

1. Make the seasoning paste: In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the peppercorns, cumin seed, and allspice until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Cool then transfer to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle along with the annatto seed and grind into a powder. Annatto seed is hard and takes a bit of scraping down and repeated grindings to break up. Add the garlic, oregano, salt, and 3 tablespoons of the orange juice and process into a paste.
2. Make the pork: In a large bowl, rub the pork with the seasoning paste, a liberal amount of salt, and another 1/4 cup of the juice, taking care to rub the mixture into the folds of the meat.
3. Place some chopped onions and orange zest on top of banana leaves, place pork fat side down, and add onions and zest on top.
4. Fold over banana leaves, tie with twine, and turn over when placing in roasting oven so fat is on top.
5. Cook at 107°C (on Low in the slow cooker) for 16 hours.
6. Remove meat from leaves and shred with forks.
7. Reduce remaining juice over medium heat until halved. Pour over shredded pork and serve with warm corn tortillas, lime wedges, and pickled onions (see recipe below).

Garlic-Oregano Pickled Onions Makes about 3 cups; 15 minutes prep time; 2 to 3 hours marinating time. The onions keep in the refrigerator for several days.

• 2 medium to large red onions, sliced into thin rings
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 generous teaspoon dry oregano (Mexican if possible)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1. Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl with enough water to cover the onions, and marinate for a couple of hours.
2. Serve at room temperature with the Yucatan pork, with refried beans, or on sandwiches.