YOU MUST TRY THIS DISH!
Cochinita pibil is the pride of the Yucatan peninsula—a dish of smoky, slow-roasted pork marinated in a special blend of ingredients including cinnamon, allspice, and achiote (annatto) seed.
Things to know:
What is cochinita pibil?
Cochinita pibil is a traditional Yucatecan dish of slow-roasted pork marinated in acidic citrus juice and achiote paste, which gives it a signature orange-red color. The marinated pork is traditionally wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in a pit oven, though modern recipes often use a slow cooker or oven. This recipe utilizes a smoker and sous vide. The tender, flavorful pork is typically served in tacos, burritos, or other dishes and garnished with pickled red onions.
What does cochinita pibil taste like?
Cochinita pibil tastes like a juicy, tender, and soft pork with a unique blend of sweet, tangy, and earthy flavors from the achiote (annatto) and citrus marinade. The achiote gives it a rich red color and a slightly peppery, earthy taste, while the citrus provides a sour and acidic tang. It is not typically spicy hot, but it has a deep, complex flavor profile from spices like cinnamon and clove.
Is cochinita pibil the same as carnitas?
Though both are slow-cooked Mexican pork dishes, no. Carnitas are typically cooked in their own fat (like confit), resulting in crispy, caramelized edges with a distinctly savory, rich, and salty flavor, whereas cochinita pibil, as mentioned above, tastes like a juicy, tender, and soft pork with a unique blend of sweet, tangy, and earthy flavors from the achiote (annatto) and citrus marinade.
What is sous vide?
Sous vide is a French cooking method that means “under vacuum” and involves cooking food sealed in a bag in a precisely temperature-controlled water bath.
Ingredients:
4 pounds boneless pork butt
2 heads garlic, cloves separated, unpeeled
2 T vegetable oil (or if you have it, annatto infused oil…)
¼ cup annatto seeds
1 (4-inch) stick Canela cinnamon
1 T (about 4g) whole cumin seeds
1/2 t cloves, preferably whole
2 T Mexican oregano
¼ cup orange juice
¼ cup cider vinegar
1 T salt
1 t liquid smoke
1 medium onion, cut into ¾-inch rounds
8 ounces banana leaf, cut into long strips and bruised
INSTRUCTIONS
FOR THE PORK: Use sous vide device to heat water bath to 155 degrees F.
1. Slice pork in half through equator to create 2 equal pieces; transfer to large bowl.
2. Cook garlic in dry 12-inch skillet over high heat, shaking skillet occasionally, until garlic is blackened on most sides, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Transfer garlic to bowl and let cool; wipe out skillet with paper towels.
4. Add oil to skillet and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add annatto seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, allspice berries, cumin seeds, cloves and oregano, cover, and cook, shaking pan frequently, for 30 seconds. Transfer spice mixture to blender.
5. Peel garlic and add to spice mixture in blender along with orange juice, vinegar, salt, and liquid smoke; blend on high speed until smooth paste forms, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides of blender as needed. (If your blender is having a hard time breaking down the spices, you can add up to 2 tablespoons water to help things along.)
6. Measure out ¼ cup spice paste and rub evenly over pork. Leave remaining paste in blender; cover.
7. Clean and oil cooking grate. Place pork and onions on grill (if using charcoal, place over coals) and cook until well charred on first side, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip pork and onions and continue to grill until second side is well charred, 2 to 3 minutes. Return pork to large bowl. Continue to cook onions until softened, flipping occasionally, about 4 minutes; transfer onions to small bowl.
8. Add onions to blender with remaining spice paste and blend on high speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Divide pork and spice paste between two 1-gallon zipper-lock bags or vacuum seal bags; massage pork and paste in bags to evenly coat.
9. Divide banana leaf and bay leaves between bags. Press out as much air as possible from bags and seal.
10. Working with one bag at a time, gently lower bag into water bath, allowing any remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag (do not let go of bag). Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air pockets, and seal bag fully. Release bag into water bath and cook for 22 to 26 hours.
11. Remove bags from water bath, open bags, and use tongs to transfer pork to cutting board. Strain cooking liquid in bags through colander set over large serving bowl; discard solids in colander. Roughly chop pork into ½-inch pieces and transfer to serving bowl with cooking liquid; toss to combine.
12. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with tortillas and garnishes. ENJOY!
Equipment used:
Yoder YS640 Smoker
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