PorkMexican

Cochinita Pibil

Name: Cochinita Pibil
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 30 min
Yield: 8 serves
Ingredients: 2 kg Boneless Pork Shoulder; 100 g Achiote (Annatto) Paste; 250 ml Sour Orange Juice; 6 cloves Garlic; 2 tsp Dried Oregano; 1 tsp Ground Cumin; 1/2 tsp Ground Allspice; 1/4 tsp Ground Cloves; 2 tsp Salt; 1 tsp Cracked Black Pepper; 1 packet Banana Leaves; 2 Oranges; 1 to 2 Habaneros; 1/2 Small Red Onion; 2 Limes; 1 small handful Coriander; 1 pinch Salt and Sugar; 1 Red Onion; 125 ml Lime Juice; 1/2 tsp Salt; 1/2 tsp Sugar; 1 pinch Oregano

Spain 2026 · Aboard the Scarlet Lady · Pink Agave

Stained brick-red with achiote, sharp with bitter orange, and lifted by a fiery-sweet pico.

Start cooking

Prep30 min

Cook4 hr

Total4 h 30 m

Serves8 people

LevelMedium

Mise en place

Ingredients

For the pork2 kgBoneless Pork Shouldercut into large fist-sized chunks
100 gAchiote (Annatto) PasteEl Yucateco or La Perla, from a Latin grocer
250 mlSour Orange Juicenaranja agria — or 125ml orange + 90ml lime + 35ml white vinegar
6 clovesGarlic
2 tspDried OreganoMexican if you can get it
1 tspGround Cumin
1/2 tspGround Allspice
1/4 tspGround Cloves
2 tspSalt
1 tspCracked Black Pepper
1 packetBanana Leavesfrozen, from an Asian grocer — or baking paper and foil
For the sour orange & habanero pico2Orangessegmented and diced, plus any juice
1 to 2Habanerosdeseeded, very finely minced — start with one, they are serious
1/2Small Red Onionfinely diced
2Limesjuiced
1 small handfulCorianderchopped
1 pinchSalt and Sugara pinch of each
For the pickled red onions1Red Onionthinly sliced
125 mlLime Juiceor half lime, half vinegar
1/2 tspSalt
1/2 tspSugar
1 pinchOregano

Makes 8 serves.

In JD’s words

A replica of the achiote-marinated smoked pork from Pink Agave aboard the Scarlet Lady. Yucatán-style slow-roasted pork, stained brick-red with achiote, sharp with bitter orange, and lifted by a fiery-sweet orange and habanero pico.

Sour orange is the soul of the dish. The juice, lime and vinegar substitute in the ingredients is very close to the real thing if you cannot find naranja agria.

Habanero heat lives in the membrane — wear gloves and do not rub your eyes. For the “sweet then heat” balance the ship’s pico had, keep the fruit generous and the chilli restrained.

Leftovers make outstanding tortas, quesadillas, or breakfast with fried eggs.

The method

Cook it unhurried.

01
Marinate, The Night Before
Blend the achiote paste, sour orange juice, garlic, oregano, cumin, allspice, cloves, salt and pepper into a smooth, brick-red marinade. Coat the pork thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate overnight — four hours at an absolute minimum.
02
Pickle the Onions
Toss the sliced onion with lime juice, salt, sugar and oregano. Refrigerate. They turn bright pink within an hour and keep for a week.
03
Wrap
Soften the banana leaves by passing them briefly over a gas flame or dunking them in hot water. Line a roasting dish or Dutch oven with the leaves, add the pork and every drop of the marinade, and fold the leaves over to seal. Cover tightly with a lid or foil.
04
Slow Roast
Bake at 150°C, or 130°C fan, for three and a half to four hours — until the pork shreds effortlessly with a fork.
05
Smoke, Optional
This is the Pink Agave touch: the ship's version is smoked. To replicate it, finish the unwrapped pork in a kettle BBQ or smoker with a handful of soaked hickory or mesquite chips, 30 to 45 minutes at low heat. Or cheat with half a teaspoon of smoked paprika and a few drops of liquid smoke stirred through at the end.
06
Shred
Pull the pork apart in its own juices. It should be wet, glossy and deeply red. Taste and adjust with salt and a squeeze more lime.
07
Make the Pico
Just before serving, combine the orange, habanero, red onion, lime juice, coriander, salt and sugar.
08
Serve
Pile the pork onto warm corn tortillas, top with the orange-habanero pico and the pickled onions. That is the plate.

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