My Tia's Secret for the Most Delicious Version of This Beloved Mexican Dinner

I grew up in a Mexican American household, and pork was a protein that we ate regularly. When I think of my favorite way to cook it, one recipe that stands out and has a special place in my heart is cochinita pibil — a tender slow-cooked pork enrobed in an achiote-based sauce. The recipe originated in the Mexican state of Yucatán, dating back to pre-Hispanic times. Traditionally, the pork is wrapped in banana leaves and baked underground. It’s a classic cooking method that you typically see in Mexico with other recipes like barbacoa (shredded beef). These days, it is regularly made in an oven.

In this recipe, I call for achiote paste (one of the key traditional ingredients) and a combination of orange and lime juice to mimic the acidity and sweetness of bitter orange. My Tia Rosa, who is from Yucatán, mentioned I should try this as a substitute for the bitter orange, which is a go-to in Mexico, but a little harder to find in the United States. Those, along with banana leaves, create a heavenly aroma inside your home and an explosion of flavor inside your mouth as you eat it.

According to my Tia Rosa, the dish should have simple ingredients to let the citrus and achiote paste shine. Cochinita pibil is typically served alongside curtido — a variation of pickled red onions, habanero peppers, and oregano — so that it can be enjoyed as part of a taco or a torta (sandwich). Pickling onions and habanero peppers in a mixture of lime juice, white vinegar, salt, and sugar adds a pop of acidity and a bit of heat to cut through the richness of the stewed meat. I promise after just one bite, you’ll understand why this dish continues to stand the test of time.

Why You’ll Love It

• The pork is so tender. Cooking the cochinita pibil in the oven for almost three hours allows the pork shoulder to completely fall off the bone.

• It’s the perfect make-ahead dinner. Once it’s in the oven, it becomes a “set-it-and-forget-it” dish that’s especially perfect for dinner parties, as it lets you work on other things while it roasts.

Key Ingredients in Cochinita Pibil

• Achiote paste: This paste gives the dish its signature red color while contributing to the overall flavor of the cochinita pibil. It’s one of the most versatile spice pastes used in Mexican cooking.

• Bone-in pork shoulder: This cut of pork provides the slight fattiness needed in the dish.

• Red onion: Slightly spicy with a pungent kick, red onion helps cut through the richness of the pork and enhances the sweetness of the dish with its natural juices.

• Citrus: Orange juice and lime juice provide acidity to balance and enhance the sweetness and slight bitterness of the achiote paste.

• Banana leaves: Wrapping the pork in the leaves creates steam as it cooks (keeping the meat moist) and also imbues it with a very subtle smoky, earthy flavor.

How to Make Cochinita Pibil

1. Heat your oven and toast your spices. Heat the oven to 350ºF. Meanwhile, place garlic cloves in a small frying pan and cook until charred on all sides. Add allspice berries, whole cloves, cinnamon stick, and whole black peppercorns. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Transfer to a blender.

2. Prepare banana leaves. Heat a 12-inch nonstick or cast iron skillet. With a wet paper towel gently wipe off banana leaves on both sides. Add banana leaf and heat until it no longer looks waxy and becomes extremely pliable, folding and unfolding until all sides have lost the waxy exterior. Place in a baking dish and repeat with the remaining banana leaf. Arrange the leaves so they are perpendicular to each other, the bottom and sides of the baking dish are covered, and there is overhang on all sides.

3. Make achiote sauce. Add achiote paste, lime juice, orange juice, olive oil, kosher salt, and dried oregano to the blender. Blend on high speed until smooth.

4. Prepare pork. Cut pork shoulder roast into three pieces, cutting around the bone as needed. Place onto the banana leaves. Pour the blended mixture over the pork. Flip the pork a few times to make sure it gets completely coated in the mixture. Arrange the pork into an even layer. Place sliced red onion evenly over the pork. Cover the pork with the overhanging banana leaves so it is completely covered. Pour water into the baking dish and cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil or Dutch oven lid.

5. Bake. Bake for 2 1/2 hours until the meat is extremely tender and falling off the bone, about 2 1/2 hours (this is a good time to make the curtido).

6. Let cool, shred, and serve. Let cool, then remove and discard the banana leaves. Discard the pork bone and any big chunks of fat if desired. Shred the meat with tongs or two forks into bite-size pieces and toss in the sauce. Serve with the curtido.

Helpful Swaps

• Achiote paste can be a little difficult to find, and if that is the case achiote powder can be a wonderful substitute providing just as much color and flavor.

• I call for frozen banana leaves, but if you happen to come across fresh that works even better!

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

• Extra banana leaves can be stored back in the freezer in an airtight container or a zip-top bag for up to 2 months.

• Cochinita pibil can be marinated up to 24 hours ahead of time before placing and covering in banana leaves.

• Curtido can be made 24 hours ahead of time; store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

What to Serve with Cochinita Pibil

• Elote (Mexican Street Corn)

• Cheesy Enchiladas Suizas  

• Frozen Mangonadas

• Pitcher Margaritas

• Chocoflan (Impossible Cake)

Cochinita Pibil Recipe

Meet your new favorite taco filling. The sauce is so delicious, you'll want to eat it by the spoonful.

Prep time 50 minutes

Cook time 2 hours 45 minutes

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

For the pork:

• 2 (about 16x11-inch) frozen banana leaves, thawed

• 5 cloves garlic, peeled

• 4 allspice berries

• 3 whole cloves

• 1 small piece cinnamon stick (1/4- to 1/2-inch)

• 1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

• 1/4 cup achiote paste or dried ground achiote

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from 5 medium limes)

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from 1 medium orange)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican

• 1 (about 4 1/2-pound) bone-in pork shoulder or pork butt roast

• 1 medium red onion, halved and sliced 1/2-inch thick (about 2 cups)

• 1 cup water

For the curtido:

• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from 8 medium limes)

• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican

• 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

• 1 medium red onion, halved and sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 2 cups)

• 3 habanero peppers, halved and thinly sliced (remove seeds before slicing for less spicy heat)

Instructions

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Make the pork:

1. Heat the oven to 350ºF. Meanwhile, place 5 peeled garlic cloves in a small frying pan and cook on medium heat until charred all over, 4 to 5 minutes. Add 4 allspice berries, 3 whole cloves, 1 small piece cinnamon stick, and 1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a blender.

2. Heat a 12-inch nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Using a wet paper towel, gently wipe off any grit or dirt from both sides of 2 thawed frozen banana leaves. Add 1 banana leaf to the skillet and heat, moving the leaf around the skillet as needed, until it has lost its waxy exterior and becomes extremely pliable, about 2 minutes per side. Place in a 9x13-inch baking dish or large Dutch oven.

3. Repeat with the remaining banana leaf. Arrange the leaves so they are perpendicular to each other, the bottom and sides of the baking dish or pot are covered, and there is overhang on all sides.

4. Add 1/4 cup achiote paste, 1/4 cup lime juice, 1/4 cup orange juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon dried oregano to the blender. Blend on high speed until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Cut 1 (about 4 1/2-pound) pork shoulder roast into 3 (about 5-inch) pieces, cutting around the bone as needed. Place on the banana leaves. Pour the blended mixture over the pork. Flip the pork a few times to make sure it gets completely coated in the mixture. Arrange the pork into an even layer.

6. Arrange 1 sliced medium red onion evenly over the pork. Cover the pork with the overhanging banana leaves so it is completely covered. Pour 1 cup water into the baking dish or Dutch oven. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil or place the lid on the Dutch oven.

7. Bake until the pork is extremely tender and falling off the bone, about 2 1/2 hours (this is a good time to make the curtido).

8. Let cool for 20 minutes. Remove and discard the banana leaves. Discard the pork bone and any big chunks of fat if desired. Shred the meat with tongs or 2 forks into bite-size pieces and toss in the sauce. Serve with the curtido.

Make the curtido:

1. Whisk 3/4 cup lime juice, 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar together in a medium bowl until the sugar and salt are dissolved.

2. Stir in 1 sliced medium red onion and 3 thinly sliced habaneros (wear gloves if mixing by hand). Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: The pork can be cut, mixed with the sauce in a zip-top bag, and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead before wrapping in the banana leaves.

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat with a splash of water in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through, 5 to 6 minutes.

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