Poc Chuc (Yucatan Grilled Pork)

About this recipe

Poc chuc is one of the most representative dishes of Yucatecan cuisine. It features thin pork fillets marinated in sour orange juice and grilled over charcoal, accompanied by red onion pickled in vinegar and habanero, a roasted tomato salsa called chiltomate, and strained black beans. The name comes from Mayan: 'poc' means to toast or grill, and 'chuc' refers to charcoal. The combination of the lightly smoky meat, the citrus of sour orange, the heat of habanero, and the freshness of pickled onion creates a flavor profile that is uniquely Yucatecan. It is traditionally served with handmade corn tortillas and a generous portion of black beans. It is an everyday dish in homes across Mérida and Valladolid that also shines in Yucatecan cuisine restaurants.

1. 1

   Marinate the meat: place the filetes of cerdo in a container, báñalos with the orange juice agria, add 2 garlic cloves machacados, salt and pepper. Marina minimum 30 minutes (ideally 2 hours in the fridge).

   

   💡 If not consigues bitter orange, mixture 100 ml of orange juice sweet + 30 ml of lime juice + 20 ml of white vinegar.

2. 2

   Prepare the onion curtida: cut a red onion in aros gruesos, place it in a bowl with vinegar, a pinch of salt, orange juice agria and a habanero entero (without cortar, for that perfume without soltar seeds). Leave to marinate 30 minutes minimum.

   

   💡 El habanero entero aromatiza without hacer the curtido insoportablemente picante.

3. 3

   Prepare the chiltomate: asa the tomatoes, 1 habanero entero and the another red onion (cortada in mitades) directamente on the llama of the fogón or in a comal (flat griddle) until they are well chamuscados for outside. Crush them in a molcajete (stone mortar) or blend brevemente (with texture rustic). Season with salt and chopped coriander.

   

   💡 El chiltomate should tener texture rustic, not lisa como a sauce licuada.

4. 4

   Heat a grill, cast iron pan or comal (flat griddle) a heat very alto. Remove the filetes of the marinado and dry them slightly. Roast the filetes 3-4 minutes for lado, until they have marcas of grill and they are cocidos pero jugosos. Roast also the rodajas of onion of the curtido on the grill.

   

   💡 El high heat es clave: queremos sellar rápido for mantener the jugosidad.

5. 5

   Serve the filetes of poc chuc in a plate, cubiertos with the red onion curtida and roasted. Serve with the chiltomate in a bowl aparte, corn tortillas hot and black beans colados. Garnish with fresh coriander.