Cochinita Pibil Tacos with Pickled Onions

Name: Cochinita Pibil Tacos with Pickled Onions
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 240 min
Yield: 8 portions
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1½ kg · 3¼ lb pork shoulder, large pieces; 100 g · 3½ oz achiote paste; 200 ml · ¾ cup orange juice; 80 ml · ¼ cup lime juice; 16 g · 4 cloves garlic; 2 g · 1 tsp ground cumin; 2 g · 1 tsp dried oregano; 15 g · 1 tbsp salt; 150 g · 4 leaves banana leaves; 300 g · 2 onions red onions, for the pickled onions; 10 g · 1 chili habanero, for the pickled onions; 400 g · 2 avocados avocados, for the guacamole; 250 ml · 1 cup pasilla chilies, beer and orange, for the salsa borracha; 480 g · 16 tortillas corn tortillas

🍽 Serves 8⏱ Prep 30 min🔥 Cook 240 min⏳ Rest 720 min🌍 Mexican

Yucatán pork marinated in achiote and sour orange, slow-cooked in banana leaves, with guacamole, salsa borracha and pickled onions.

📍 Yucatán · Mexico

The story of the dish

Cochinita pibil is the Maya dish of Yucatán: pork roasted in a pib, an underground pit oven, wrapped in banana leaves.

The name: Cochinita means 'little pig'; pibil comes from the Maya pib, 'buried'.

Ingredients

Ingredient	EUg · ml	UScups · spoons
pork shoulder large pieces	≈ 1½ kg	≈ 3¼ lb
achiote paste	≈ 100 g	≈ 3½ oz
orange juice	≈ 200 ml	≈ ¾ cup
lime juice	≈ 80 ml	≈ ¼ cup
garlic	≈ 16 g	≈ 4 cloves
ground cumin	≈ 2 g	≈ 1 tsp
dried oregano	≈ 2 g	≈ 1 tsp
salt	≈ 15 g	≈ 1 tbsp
banana leaves	≈ 150 g	≈ 4 leaves
red onions for the pickled onions	≈ 300 g	≈ 2 onions
habanero for the pickled onions	≈ 10 g	≈ 1 chili
avocados for the guacamole	≈ 400 g	≈ 2 avocados
pasilla chilies beer and orange, for the salsa borracha	≈ 250 ml	≈ 1 cup
corn tortillas	≈ 480 g	≈ 16 tortillas

≈ amount suggested from similar recipes

Tools & equipment

Item	UAEamazon.ae	USamazon.com
Tortilla Press	🛒 Buy	🛒 Buy
Tortilla Warmer	🛒 Buy	🛒 Buy
Food Scale	🛒 Buy	🛒 Buy
Royalford 27cm Aluminium Smart Tawa - Non-Sti	🛒 Buy	🛒 Buy
Pressure Cooker	🛒 Buy	🛒 Buy
Masienda Heirloom Yellow Corn Masa Harina/Flo	🛒 Buy	🛒 Buy

Also used: Dutch oven · blender · molcajete · tongs

Method

Blend achiote, orange and lime juice, garlic, cumin, oregano and salt; marinate the pork overnight.
Wrap the pork and marinade in toasted banana leaves in a covered pot.
Cook at 160°C (320°F) for 4 hours until it falls apart.
Pickle the sliced onions with habanero, lime juice and salt for at least 1 hour.
Make the guacamole and blend toasted pasilla chilies with beer, orange and garlic for the salsa borracha.
Shred the pork in its juices and serve in warm tortillas with the pickled onions, guacamole and salsa.

🌡️ 160°C (320°F) oven

👨‍🍳 Chef’s tips

Pass the banana leaves over a flame first so they become soft and fragrant.

📱 Scan to watch me cook ityoutu.be/KWOdmp2GKlQEvery step on video, and new recipes every week: subscribe on YouTube.

Nutrition per portion estimate · 1 of 8

620kcal

42 gprotein

44 gcarbs

31 gfat

Allergens

Gluten

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▶ Watch me cook it: youtu.be/KWOdmp2GKlQ

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