StewsHardFree

Slow-Roasted Pork Pibil (Cochinita Pibil)

Name: Slow-Roasted Pork Pibil (Cochinita Pibil)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 270 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 200 g Achiote paste; 400 ml Sour orange juice; 4 Banana leaves; 3 Habanero chilli; 100 ml White vinegar; 1 tsp Yucatecan oregano; 5 granos Black peppercorns; to taste Salt; 2 kg Pork leg; 2 Red onion

270 min (30 prep + 240 cook) Hard 10 servings Yucatán

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 11 Mar 2026 · Updated: 19 Mar 2026

Pork marinated in achiote, wrapped in banana leaf and slow-cooked.

About this recipe

Cochinita pibil is the most iconic dish of Yucatecan cuisine. It consists of pork marinated in an achiote paste dissolved in sour orange juice, wrapped in banana leaves, and slow-cooked for hours until the meat shreds effortlessly. The result is juicy, tender meat with an intense orange-red color and a complex flavor that blends the earthiness of achiote, citrus acidity, and the smokiness of slow cooking. It is traditionally served in tacos or tortas, accompanied by habanero-pickled red onion, habanero salsa, and strained black beans. It is a celebration dish that brings entire families together around the preparation of the pib, the Mayan underground oven.

History & Origin

Cochinita pibil is a pre-Hispanic dish from Mayan culture, originally prepared in a pib - an oven dug into the ground where hot stones were placed to cook meat wrapped in banana leaves. The word "pibil" comes from the Mayan "p'ib" meaning "buried" or "cooked underground." Before the arrival of pigs with the Spanish, the Maya prepared this recipe with venison or peccary. The fusion with European ingredients gave rise to the version we know today. Achiote, the seed of the Bixa orellana tree, was sacred to the Maya and used both as a ritual dye and a condiment. In Yucatan, cochinita pibil is the quintessential Sunday dish; families prepare large quantities on Saturday nights to enjoy for Sunday breakfast. Each Yucatecan municipality celebrates its patron saint festival with cochinita prepared in a communal pib. In 2023, it was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Yucatan.

Estimated cost

£35.00

Total cost

£3.50

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

350

Calories

30g

Protein

Carbohydrates

22g

Fat

Fibre

540mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Dissolve the achiote paste in the sour orange juice. Add the oregano, ground pepper, and salt. Mix until you get a smooth, uniform marinade.
2
Rub the pork generously with the marinade, making sure to coat every piece. Marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
3
Pass the banana leaves briefly over a flame to soften them. Line a slow cooker or deep oven tray with the leaves, leaving enough overhang to wrap the meat.
4
Place the marinated pork on the banana leaves along with all the marinade juices. Wrap tightly with the leaves and cover with aluminium foil.
5
Cook at 160°C in the oven for 3.5–4 hours, or in a slow cooker on low for 8 hours, until the meat shreds effortlessly.
6
Meanwhile, prepare the pickled onion: slice the onions into thin rings, blanch for 30 seconds in boiling water, drain, and toss with vinegar, sour orange juice, salt, and sliced habanero chilli. Leave to pickle for at least 1 hour.
7
Shred the meat with two forks, mixing it with its cooking juices. Serve in tacos with pickled red onion, habanero salsa, and black beans.