Yucatan Pork in Banana Leaves (Cochinita Pibil)
A classic dish from Mexico's Yucatan peninsula (Cochinita Pibil): pork rubbed with an annatto (achiote) seasoning paste, wrapped in banana leaves and slow-roasted until fall-apart tender. This is a gringo's take. Serve shredded with corn tortillas, garlic-oregano pickled onions and lime.
Ingredients
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | black peppercorns |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | cumin seed |
| 1/2 tsp | 2.5 ml | whole allspice |
| 3 tbsp | 45 ml | whole annatto (achiote) seed |
| 6 | garlic cloves | |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | dry oregano (Mexican if possible) |
| 2 1/2 tsp | 13 ml | salt |
| 3 tbsp + 5 tbsp + 1/2 cup | Seville (bitter) orange juice, or a blend of orange, lime and grapefruit juices | |
| 6 lb | 2.7 kg | boneless pork shoulder, well marbled |
| 1 orange | orange zest, sliced into thin strips | |
| 1 | large white onion, halved and sliced into half moons | |
| 3-5 | banana leaves, thawed | |
| 30 | corn tortillas, warmed | |
| 3 | limes, cut into wedges | |
| 2 | red onions (for pickled onions) | |
| 1 cup | 240 ml | white vinegar |
Instructions
- 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 is hard and takes repeated grinding to break up). Add the garlic, oregano, salt and 3 tablespoons of the orange juice and process into a paste.
- Make the pork: In a large bowl, rub the pork with the seasoning paste, another 5 tablespoons of the juice, the orange zest and onion, rubbing the mixture into the folds of the meat.
- Line a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven with overlapping banana leaves, leaving 8 to 10 inches overhanging the edges. Place the pork in the pot with all of its marinade. Swaddle the pork with the banana leaves to completely enclose it. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
- About an hour before cooking, pull the pork out of the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350ºF (175ºC).
- Pour 1/2 cup water around the meat, cover tightly and roast until fall-apart tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours, adding more water as needed.
- When fork-tender, remove the pork to a cutting board and pour the pot juices into a medium saucepan. Return the meat to the pot to rest while you work with the liquid.
- Spoon off the fat, then boil down the pot juices until there is 1/2 to 3/4 cup remaining. Taste for seasoning and add the last 1/2 cup of orange juice at the end.
- With 2 forks, shred the pork into bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle the reduced sauce over the meat. Serve with warmed corn tortillas, garlic-oregano pickled onions and lime wedges.
Garlic-Oregano Pickled Onions (makes about 3 cups): Combine 2 medium-to-large red onions sliced into thin rings, 1 cup white vinegar, 1 generous teaspoon dry oregano, 1 teaspoon salt and 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves in a bowl with enough water to cover the onions. Marinate a couple of hours and serve at room temperature. Keeps several days refrigerated.
Wine: a light, fruity red such as California Pinot Noir, Spanish Garnacha or Italian Dolcetto.
From The Splendid Table®'s How to Eat Weekends by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift (Clarkson Potter, 2011).