Mucbipollo: the buried Yucatecan pib of Hanal Pixán

What is it?

The mucbipollo, also simply called pib, is the most important ceremonial tamale of the Yucatán Peninsula. Its Maya name literally means buried chicken and describes the traditional method of cooking: underground, in an oven of hot stones called píib. It is made with maize masa mixed with lard and achiote, filled with chicken and pork, seasoned with recado rojo, sweet chilli and epazote, and wrapped in banana leaves. It appears as the central offering of Hanal Pixán, the Maya celebration of the Day of the Dead held from 31 October to 2 November, when Yucatecan families bake large pieces to share with the living and the dead.

Origin and history

The mucbipollo has a pre-Hispanic Maya origin and is documented from colonial times as part of the offerings in the cycle of the dead. Yucatán Travel (gob.mx) explains that its name comes from the roots mucb (to bury) and kaax (hen or chicken) in the Yucatec Maya language, and that originally it was cooked with wild animals such as pheasant or wild turkey before the Spanish pig and hen entered the recipe. México Desconocido documents how, during Hanal Pixán, Maya families dig a hole in the ground, place hot stones and firewood, and bury the pib wrapped in banana leaves so that it cooks with the radiant heat for several hours. The tradition survives today in towns such as Mama, Chocholá, Maní and Acanceh, although in the cities it has been adapted to the domestic or bakery oven.

Characteristic ingredients

The masa of the mucbipollo, called k'ool, is dense, rich and reddish thanks to the recado rojo (achiote, cumin, allspice, garlic, oregano, vinegar and salt). It is enriched with lard and a little of the cooking broth, which makes it heavy and moist, very different from the spongy masa of central tamales. The filling combines pieces of chicken and pork previously cooked in their juices, Yucatecan sweet chilli (xkat ik or bell pepper), epazote and sometimes tomato. The piece is assembled in a rectangular dish or pan, lined with banana leaves toasted to make them flexible, and covered with more masa. Originally it was buried in the píib for 3 to 4 hours; today it is baked in a bakery oven at 180 °C for 1.5 to 2 hours.

Cultural significance

The mucbipollo is the ritual food of Hanal Pixán, translatable as food of the souls, one of the most important traditions of the Yucatec Maya people. During those days it is believed that the souls of the deceased return to eat with their families and the aroma of the baked pib guides them to the offering. PorEsto and México Desconocido note that the first mucbipollo of the year is buried for the deceased children on 31 October, another for the adults on 1 November, and a third for all the souls on 2 November. The preparation is collective: neighbours and family members gather to dig the píib, stoke the fire, chop the masa and pray before uncovering it. In addition to its spiritual value, the pib has become gastronomic heritage promoted by the Yucatán Secretariat of Tourism as a living expression of contemporary Maya culture.

Frequently asked questions

What does the word mucbipollo mean?

Mucbipollo is a Maya-Spanish hybrid word: it comes from mucbil (buried, in Yucatec Maya) and pollo (chicken, in Spanish). It literally means buried chicken and refers to the traditional method of cooking in an underground oven called píib, made with hot stones and firewood beneath the earth. That is also why it is known simply as pib.

When is mucbipollo prepared?

It is prepared almost exclusively during Hanal Pixán, the Maya Day of the Dead festivity celebrated from 31 October to 2 November in Yucatán, Campeche and Quintana Roo. Some Yucatecan bakeries sell it throughout October. Outside those dates it is difficult to find because it is considered a strictly ritual food linked to the return of the souls.

What does mucbipollo taste like?

It tastes of maize, achiote and smoky meat from the long cooking in banana leaves. The masa is dense, rich and slightly spicy from the recado rojo, with an earthy background of achiote. The chicken and pork filling adds juiciness and epazote provides an herbal touch. It has a much more concentrated flavour than a tamale from central Mexico.

What is the difference between mucbipollo and an ordinary tamale?

The mucbipollo is a large rectangular piece (not individual), it is cooked buried in a stone oven or in a bakery oven instead of a steamer, it uses achiote recado rojo in the masa and is wrapped in banana leaves, not maize husks. Furthermore it is a ritual dish for Hanal Pixán, while tamales are eaten daily.