Cochinita pibil
Slow‑roasted Yucatán pork in achiote and bitter orange, served with quick pickled red onion and fresh coriander.
Cochinita pibil is the slow‑roasted, achiote‑stained pork from Mexico's Yucatán — tangy, earthy and utterly addictive. The long marinade and gentle roasting give tender meat that shreds into lacquered strands.
This recipe keeps it honest: achiote paste and bitter orange do the heavy lifting, banana leaves add an authentic perfume (optional), and quick‑pickled red onion cuts through the richness. Make it for weekend feasts, tacos or just because you need something impressive that mostly looks after itself.
Ingredients
- 1.6 kg pork shoulder
- 100 g achiote paste
- 200 ml bitter orange juice — see substitutions if unavailable
- 60 ml white wine vinegar
- 6 garlic cloves — crushed
- 10 ml ground cumin
- 10 ml dried oregano — Mexican oregano if possible
- 10 ml sea salt
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 2 banana leaves — optional, to line and wrap the meat for authentic flavour
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 red onion — thinly sliced for quick pickle
- 15 g caster sugar
- 100 ml water — for pickling and loosening paste
- 150 ml chicken stock
- 15 g fresh coriander — to garnish
Equipment
- blender or food processor
- baking tray or deep ovenproof dish
- aluminium foil
- two forks for shredding
Instructions
Make the achiote marinade: put the achiote paste, bitter orange juice, white wine vinegar, crushed garlic, ground cumin, dried oregano, sea salt, black pepper and vegetable oil into a blender or food processor. Add the water if the paste is very stiff. Blitz until completely smooth.
Trim any excess outer skin from the pork shoulder, cut into 3–4 large pieces so the marinade can penetrate, then put the pork in a large non‑reactive bowl. Pour over the achiote marinade and rub well so every surface is coated. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
Make the quick pickled red onion: put the sliced red onion in a heatproof bowl. In a small pan combine the white wine vinegar, bitter orange juice, water, caster sugar and a pinch (about 1/4 tsp) of sea salt; bring to a simmer so the sugar dissolves. Pour the hot liquid over the onions and leave to cool for 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate until needed.
Preheat the oven to 150°C fan/170°C conventional. Line a large baking tray or deep ovenproof dish with banana leaves (or use a layer of foil). Place the marinated pork pieces in the tray, tuck the bay leaves between the pieces and pour the chicken stock into the base. Cover tightly with a second sheet of banana leaf (or foil) and seal with a layer of aluminium foil so it's steam‑tight. Roast in the oven for 3 hours.
Remove the tray from the oven and keep it covered. Let the pork rest, still wrapped, for 15 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.
Unwrap the pork, discard the bay leaves and any large pieces of fat, then shred the meat with two forks directly in the tray so it mixes with the cooking juices.
If the juices seem very thin, spread the shredded pork out and return the tray to the oven uncovered at 180°C fan/200°C conventional for 15 minutes to reduce and concentrate the sauce. Watch carefully so it doesn't dry out.
Serve the shredded cochinita pibil piled onto warm tortillas or plates, top with the pickled red onion and scatter over fresh coriander. Spoon over some of the pan juices to finish.
Tips
- If you can't find banana leaves, use two layers of foil and keep the tray well sealed — the steam is what matters, not the leaf itself.
- Make the achiote marinade in a blender and taste it raw: it should be bright and tangy. If it feels dry add a little more bitter orange juice or the reserved water.
- Don’t skip the quick pickle — the acidity is essential to balance the fatty pork.
- Leftovers reheat well: warm gently in a pan with a splash of stock, covered, to stop it drying out.
- Trim big pockets of fat before cooking but leave a moderate amount — the fat melts during the long roast and keeps the meat succulent.
Substitutions
bitter orange juice → 100 ml fresh orange juice + 50 ml fresh lime juice
Stays closeachiote paste → 2 tbsp ground annatto mixed with 30 ml vegetable oil and 1 tsp smoked paprika
Noticeably differentpork shoulder → pork leg (slightly leaner) or pork belly (richer), same weight
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 770
- Calories
- 48 g
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 61 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 750 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I cook this in a slow cooker?
Yes — after marinating transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6–8 hours until the meat shreds easily. You may want to reduce the juices under the grill briefly for a glossy finish.
How long can I keep leftovers?
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently with a splash of stock to restore moisture.
Is bitter orange essential?
It gives the characteristic tang of cochinita pibil, but a mix of orange and lime juice works well if you can't get bitter orange.
Can I make the pickled onions ahead?
Yes — they develop flavour over a few hours and will keep in the fridge for up to a week.
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