Southwestern Recipes
Cochinita Pibil (Yucatan-Style Pork)
Cochinita Pibil is a versatile pork dish which can either be served over rice, in burritos, tacos or fajitas. The most common way to serve it is in 6 inch corn tortillas.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork butt roast with bone
- 2 tablespoons achiote paste
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 2/3 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 red onions, sliced into rings
Instructions
- Poke holes all over the pork with a fork. Rub achiote paste all over the pork, and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the orange juice, lemon juice, and habanero peppers.
- Mix in the cumin, paprika, chili powder, coriander, salt and pepper.
- Place pork in the mixture, cover, and refrigerate overnight, turning two or three times.
- Heat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Wrap the pork and marinade in aluminum foil or banana leaves that have been soaked in water for 30 minutes.
- Place into a casserole dish, and cover.
- Bake for about 2 hours, until the meat falls off the bone. The slower you cook it, the better it is. You could also bake it in a 200 degrees F (95 degrees C) oven for 4 or 5 hours, or in a slow cooker without the foil or leaves.
- While the pork is cooking, make the sauce. Bring the red wine vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan. Add onions, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until tender.
- Pour sauce over pork, and serve with white rice and corn tortillas.
- Each person can make burittos, tacos or fajitas with the pork, the rice and the sauce.
Attribution
Photo credit: (c) Can Stock Photo / RobertPB