Cochinita Pibil

Cochinita (Pork*) Pibil Tacos 

Serving: 6 people

Ingredients

• 1.25kg boneless pork shoulder cut into large chunks (~6cm)
• 1 tsp salt

Marinade:

• 50g Achiote (annatto) paste
• 1.25 cups (1 cup=250ml) orange juice mixed with 10 tbsp lime juice (~2.5 large limes)
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves peeled
• ¼ tsp whole cumin
• 1.5 tsp salt

Other 

• ¼ cup lard
• 1 large red onion sliced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 whole all spice berries
• 2 bay leaves

Method

1. Preheat the oven: to 170°C temperature
   
   
2. Prep the meat: rub the pork on all sides with 1 tsp salt. Then cut the pork into large (~6cm sized) chunks.
   
   
3. Make the marinade: in a blender, mix all the marinade ingredients. In a bowl, mix the pork chunks with the marinade and refrigerate for 2-4 hours or overnight.
   
   
4. Cook**: Place the pork meat with its marinade in a casserole pot ('Dutch oven'). Add the lard and mix it into the pork and marinade. Add all the remaining ingredients scattered on top, plus 1/4 cup of water. Cover the pot and place in the oven and bake for 2.5 hours. Every 30 minutes or so check all the meat pieces are well covered by the marinade, turning them and spooning the juices over.
   
   
5. Check the meat for fork tenderness: after 2.5 hours check the meat readiness - it should fall apart when you prod it with a fork. If it isn't ready, cover it again and return to cook for another 15 minutes or so, checking regularly
   
   
6. Serve - lightly shred chunks of the meat for serving (leave remaining chunks whole), and spoon some of the released juices over the served meat. Serve with warm corn tortillas, pickled onions and salsa

* For non-pork eaters, this recipe can be substituted for chicken legs - keep the skin on. You can omit the lard. Cooking time will be around 10 minutes less

**This can also be cooked in a pressure cooker - bring the mixture to a boil first on a high heat (~10 minutes) and then once it's boiling (a spitting noise is released) - reduce the heat to a low-medium setting and cook for a further 50 minutes, until fork-tender