Cochinita Pibil
sometimes contains gluten, dairy, egg, peanut, tree nut, sesame, soy, shellfish, fish — check the label
Restrictions
Sometimes contains — check the labelgluten (achiote paste, banana leaf, orange juice) · dairy (achiote paste, banana leaf, orange juice) · egg (achiote paste, banana leaf, orange juice) · peanut (achiote paste, banana leaf, orange juice) · tree nut (achiote paste, banana leaf, orange juice) · sesame (achiote paste, banana leaf, orange juice) · soy (achiote paste, banana leaf, orange juice) · shellfish (achiote paste, banana leaf, orange juice) · fish (achiote paste, banana leaf, orange juice)Some brands have it, some do not. The recipe cannot tell, so this is the one you check yourself.
Worked out from the ingredient list. It knows nothing about brands, shared equipment or cross contamination, and it is not a certification — if you have an allergy, you still have to read the label.
Ingredients
| 2 kg | pork shoulder |
| 120 g | achiote paste |
| 300 ml | sour orange juice |
| 5 clove | garlic |
| 2 tsp | salt |
| 2 unit | red onions (thinly sliced) |
| 3 unit | lime |
Optional
Not counted above. The dish works without them.
| 4 unit | banana leaves |
Steps
- mix5 minachiote fully dispersedBlend the achiote paste with sour orange juice, garlic and salt until smooth. Break up every dense lump of achiote so the pork receives even color and seasoning rather than bitter concentrated patches.
- marinate60 minrefrigeratedCut the pork shoulder into large chunks and coat thoroughly with the achiote-citrus mixture. Refrigerate at least an hour; longer marination deepens seasoning but does not replace the long moist cook needed to soften the shoulder.
- prep10 mintightly enclosedLine a covered roasting vessel with softened banana leaves if using, add the pork and all marinade, fold the leaves over and cover tightly. The enclosure imitates the moisture retention of pib cooking and prevents the acidic marinade from evaporating away too early.
- braise180 min160 C / 325 F, pork easily shreddableCook until the pork collapses under fork pressure and its connective tissue has fully softened. If the meat is sliceable but resistant, it needs more time; shoulder tenderness is a collagen conversion problem, not merely a safe-temperature target.
- mix10 minonions bright and lightly softenedWhile the pork cooks, toss the sliced red onions with lime juice and salt and let them pickle. Their sharp acidity is structural to the final plate because it cuts the rich achiote-seasoned pork.
- top5 minpork shredded into its cooking juicesShred the pork and fold it back through enough of the concentrated cooking juices to stay succulent. Serve with the pickled red onions, preserving the contrast between rich meat and bright garnish.