Cochinita Pibil (Mexican Braised Pork)
Serves 12–16 Time 12–28 hours Ingredients 15 Steps 8
Cochinita pibil (also puerco pibil) is a traditional Mexican slow-roasted (braised) pork dish from the Yucatán.
Ingredients
- 5 Tbsp (75 ml) annatto seeds
- 2 tsp (10 ml) cumin seeds
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) peppercorns
- 8 allspice berries
- ½ tsp (8 ml) whole cloves
- 2 habanero chiles (or milder chiles)
- ½ cup (120 ml) orange juice
- ½ cup (120 ml) white vinegar
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) salt
- 8 cloves of garlic
- 5 lemons, juiced
- 1 splash of tequila
- 5 pounds (2.3 kg) pork butt
- Banana leaves and/or heavy-duty aluminium foil
- White or Spanish rice, taco shells, or tortillas for serving
Steps
- Grind annatto, cumin, peppercorns, allspice and cloves to a fine powder in a spice grinder. An electric coffee grinder works but will then be unsuitable for coffee.
- Remove seeds and veins from the habanero chiles. Chop coarsely. Leave some veins and seeds for a hotter dish.
- Process orange juice, vinegar, chiles, salt, garlic and the spice powder in a blender or food processor until liquefied. Add lemon juice and tequila.
- Cut the pork into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks. Leave the fat on to keep the pork moist; remove after cooking if desired.
- Place pork and marinade in a large self-sealing plastic bag. Seal. Turn to coat. Refrigerate 8 to 24 hours, turning occasionally.
- Heat oven to 325°F (160°C). Put the meat and marinade in a roasting pan lined with banana leaves or foil. Wrap tightly so no steam escapes. Wrap banana leaves in an outer layer of foil to seal in steam.
- Bake 4 hours. Open the packet carefully. The meat should shred easily with a fork.
- Serve over rice, or shred and serve with taco shells or tortillas.
Source. Adapted from “Cookbook:Cochinita Pibil (Mexican Braised Pork)” by Wikibooks contributors, revision of 2025-06-16, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Changes. Steps rewritten into short commands. Introduction shortened. Wiki formatting removed. This adapted recipe is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.