Oven omnivora ⭐ Weekend special

Tacos de Cochinita Pibil

Name: Tacos de Cochinita Pibil
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 210 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexico
Ingredients: 1 kg pork shoulder or loin; 100g achiote paste; 150ml sour orange or orange+lime mixture; 4 cloves of garlic; 1 onion; Oregano, cumin, pepper, salt; Banana leaves or aluminum foil; Corn tortillas; Pickled red onion with habanero

📍 Mexico

⏱️Prep: 30 min

🔥Cook: 180 min

⏰Total: 210 min

🍽️6 servings

● Difficulty: Medium

Cochinita pibil is one of the Yucatan's oldest dishes: pork marinated in achiote paste and sour orange, wrapped in banana leaves and slow-cooked until the meat falls apart. The achiote gives the flesh its deep terracotta colour and an earthy, floral flavour you can't replicate with anything else. Served in corn tortillas with pickled red onion and habanero, whose acidity and heat cut through the richness perfectly.

🛒 Ingredients

6 servings

1 kg pork shoulder or loin
100g achiote paste
150ml sour orange or orange+lime mixture
4 cloves of garlic
1 onion
Oregano, cumin, pepper, salt
Banana leaves or aluminum foil
Corn tortillas
Pickled red onion with habanero

👨‍🍳 Step-by-step instructions

Mix achiote with sour orange, garlic, and spices until paste.
Marinate the pork for at least 2 hours.
Wrap in banana leaves with the marinade.
Bake at 160°C for 3 hours.
Shred the meat. Mix with the cooking juices.
Serve in hot tortillas with pickled red onion.

💡 Chef's tip

The cochinita pibil uses sour orange, not sweet. The mixture of fresh orange with lime is the best substitute.

📝 Our take

The cochinita pibil is the most complex and satisfying dish of Yucatecan cuisine.

🍷 Wine & food pairing

Hibiscus water or tamarind agua fresca. For adults: young mezcal or a cold Mexican lager.