Cochinita pibil is one of the most characteristic recipes of the cuisine of the state of Yucatan, in southern Mexico. The flavors of the Yucatecan cuisine have their own identity, without for that reason they stop feeling very Mexican.
What gives the cochinita pibil its characteristic and particular flavor is, in the first place, the cooking of Sour orange, and second, the use of achiote paste. In fact, these ingredients make a mixture that is the basis of the preparation of this Mexican dish.
Recipe of cochinita pibil
Cochinita pibil is not only unique in its taste , but also in its texture. It is pork meat, chopped, shredded or shredded, which has become particularly soft, thanks to a kind of marinade. Let's say that the aspect of the cochinita pibil is reminiscent of the "pulled pork", but in an extremely Mexican version.
Well, to the point, let's prepare the recipe for the cochinita pibil.
Cochinita pibil Mexican recipe
Cooking recipe to prepare , step by step, a cochinita pibil stew with all the flavor of Yucatecan cuisine, from southern Mexico.Ideally, we should get at least a half cup of juice, or three quarts, for use in this preparation.
To make a marinade, mix this juice with achiote paste, a touch of cinnamon (optional), one of oregano and one of cumin. We will also add a touch of black pepper, another salt and white wine vinegar.
Then we will peel the garlic cloves and finely chop them, or better yet, we will crush them. We will also add them to the marinade, and we will mix everything, with the aim of dissolving the achiote paste dissolves well.
In the case of meat, we need it to be cut into small pieces before marinating it. You can chop it into pieces of maximum about 4 or 5 centimeters. You do not need them to be irregular pieces.
Once all the ingredients of the marinade have formed a paste or liquid, we will arrange them in a container where we can submerge the pork, and that it is as impregnated as possible. Ideally, it should be submerged.
Some people cook pork immediately afterwards. From my point of view, this is not recommended. It is best to leave the meat marinating for a few hours, or better yet, all night. I always do this last.
After the marinade time, or when you're ready to start the cooking of the cochinita pibil, pass the banana leaves through fire (naturally, without burning them), to soften them. You can also pass them through hot water, without boiling them.
Now you have to decide if you prefer prepare the cochinita pibil in the oven or on a stove. If you prefer the first option, preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade.
Accommodates the banana leaves in a bowl or pot, depending on the cooking method selected. Place the meat on top of the leaves, at the center.
Parallel, heat another pan and melts the butter.
To continue, pour the butter over the meat, and then, take the ends of the leaves and wrap the preparation. If you need reinforcements to keep the wrapping in order, help yourself with foil.
Yes you chose to use the oven, we will leave the preparation cooking for a time of two and a half hours, to three hours. The goal is to soften the pork until it is almost gone. Therefore, at the end of the cooking time, it is advisable to check the result, to see if it is necessary to bake it a little more (depending on the power of the oven). I know of people who leave the cochinita up to 6 hours in the oven.
If you prefer cooking the cochinita in a pot, the average cooking time is five hours. You can take a shortcut with a pressure cooker. In that case, the time is reduced to one hour.
When the cochinita is cooked, you can open the wrapper and fray the pork with the help of a pair of forks.The first are ribbons or slices of habanero pepper, preferably passed through an iron or comal (ie, tatemado). It can also be eaten pickled, as the second companion: the
purple onions , almost ubiquitous in the local cuisine.
Tips for preparing cochinita pibil
- If you have trouble softening the leaves to fire, check this link on how to soften the banana leaves.
- To have less work when dissolving annatto paste, you can cut it into pieces before adding it to liquids. If you do not want to dissolve it or work the marinade at hand, we can use the resources of modernity and pass everything through the blender.
- If you do not get bitter oranges, do not worry, use traditional oranges or sweets, but Add the juice of a lemon, so that it adds a sour touch.
- If you are not in Mexico or have problems getting the banana leaves, in Asian food stores they also sell them, because they use them also to prepare certain dishes. Not only sell them, but also come cut and clean for use in the kitchen.
- Accompany also the cochinita pibil with freshly made corn tortillas.
Te We recommend you try the well-known Mexican Poc Chuc recipe, which is also prepared with pork. And of course, you can learn how to prepare traditional and very delicious pork carnitas!
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