Cochinita Pibil

Cochinita pibil is associated with Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. Pork is seasoned with achiote, an annatto-based paste, and sour orange juice, then cooked until tender. Pati Jinich’s account of preparing the dish in Yucatán describes pit cooking with heated stones; home versions also use an oven or pressure cooker.^[1][2]

Mely Martínez’s oven version places pork shoulder in banana leaves with achiote sauce, onion, oregano and allspice. The wrapped meat cooks covered and is shredded into its cooking juices. She serves it with warm tortillas, pickled red onion and habanero salsa. If sour orange is unavailable, her recipe offers other citrus mixtures as substitutes.^[1]