Slow-cooked Pork Yucatán-style (Cochinita pibil)
This is THE classic Yucatán Peninsula dish. Of course it would not be prepared like this. Rather, it is wrapped in many layers of banana leaves and slow-cooked in a pib, a pit or hole in the ground, that is lined with hot rocks. But a good dish can be made using the appropriate seasonings, wrapping it tightly, and cooking until tender over low heat. One thing that will definitely be different is the citrus flavor. The fruit that would be used in Yucatán is not like either an orange, a lemon, or a lime, though it is called lima. It has a very different sweetness and taste from that of our lemons and limes. A combination of orange and lime juices approximates the flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 package fresh or frozen banana leaves
- One 4-6 pound pork shoulder or butt cut into three large pieces
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 recipe of
Achiote Paste (Recado de adobo colorado)
Instructions
- Open and wipe clean 6 large banana leaves and line a pan as shown in the recipe picture.
- Season the meat with salt and pepper. Slather the Achiote Paste all over on all sides.
- Place meat in the pan and fold the banana leaves over to enclose the meat thoroughly. Cover the pan tightly with heavy aluminum foil and bake about 4-5 hours, or until the meat is falling off the bone.
Notes
Serve with Pickled Red Onions Yucatán Style and corn tortillas.
Nutrition
Calories: 384kcalProtein: 68gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 181mgSodium: 163mgPotassium: 1143mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 3mg