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Achiote Pork (puerco pibil)

Serves
6-8
Difficulty

Puerco Pibil (also known as Cochinita Pibil), is a slow-roasted pork dish from the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The marinade usually consists of citrus juices flavoured with achiote (ground annatto seeds), which gives the slow roasted meat its characteristic colour. Delicious served in tacos.

Additional details

Additional details

    1. Mix the achiote paste with the orange and lime juice and salt in a small bowl.
    2. If your pork shoulder comes with a layer of skin and fat, remove this and reserve. Cut trimmed pork into 5cm square chunks. Place the meat in a non-reactive bowl, pour over the achiote marinade and mix together until it is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for 4-8 hours or overnight.
    3. If using pork skin and fat, preheat oven to 180°C. Place fat, skin side up, in a roasting tray. Cook in the oven until the fat is rendered out. This pork dripping can then be used to anoint the marinated pork before baking. The crispy crackling can be added as an extra ingredient to the cornbread or crumbled on top of the finished pulled pork (if it lasts that long!).
    4. When ready to cook the pork, preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the pork and its marinade in an ovenproof casserole dish and add around 2 tbsp of the rendered pork fat. Cut a piece of baking paper to fit over the top of the dish (to stop foil from touching the meat) then tightly cover in foil.
    5. Bake for 2 hours or until the pork is tender and falling apart. Cool slightly, then shred, adding the leftover juices in the dish. 
    6. Warm your soft tortillas and dish up along with the pork, pink pickled onions and any other garnishes and let everyone dig in!

    Tip

    This recipe is great for preparing ahead. If you're not going to eat it straight away, cool quickly by wrapping tightly and storing in the fridge. When ready to serve, gently reheat in a saucepan on the stove top, stirring until piping hot throughout.

Highlighted Ingredients

  • Achiote Paste 190g thumbnail

    Achiote Paste 190g

    £4.40

  • 12cm - WHITE 1kg - Taqueria Tortillas thumbnail

    12cm - WHITE 1kg - Taqueria Tortillas

    £5.50