Cochinita Pibil (Pulled Pork with Achiote Paste)
Cochinita Pibil
As I moved through the meat department yesterday I thought about what would be a good Sunday afternoon supper. And something completely comforting was all I wanted. Needless to say I needed to watch my fat, carbs, and the rules for the day. Pure Protein! Then I saw this beautiful pork shoulder and I thought about all the wonderful things I could do with it. But they all had sugar, oil, and all that other good stuff in the recipes. Cochinita Pibil is a dish I had in Cabo one year and have never gotten over it. It’s simply spices, vinegar and onions. I can have all those things! As long as you drain the fat real well, this dish is a doozie. It may take you a little while to find the Achiote paste, but searching for it is well worth it. I get mine at a small Oaxacan Carniceria (Meat Shop) by my house. Buy two when you find it, it’ll last forever in your cabinet and you’ll be happy you have it one day!
COCHINITA PIBIL RECIPE
3-3 1/2 lbs pork shoulder or pork tenderloin
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 brick Achiote seasonings
1 large onion, sliced
1 dried ancho chili, chopped
1-3 T chili paste or hot sauce (optional)
2 chipotle peppers and 1 t of adobo sauce
Dissolve Achiote in vinegar and place the roast, chili, and onion in a large ziploc bag. Pour marinade over the roast and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Transfer entire contents of ziploc to a large cast-iron French Oven, cover and roast for 1 1/2 hours at 425. Remove from oven and turn the temperature down to 325. Cut the roast into large pieces, season with salt, add hot sauce, chipotle peppers and adobo sauce and a cup of water. Thoroughly cover the pieces in the sauce and cook another 1 1/2 hours, uncovered. Remove from oven and pull pork apart with two forks. Serve in Oat Bran wrap from “Dealing With Oat Bran” article on April 26, or serve by itself as a protein entree.
Serves 6
Pingback: Recipe Index
Did you have a different version posted earlier this week? I made this and it was wonderful. I didn’t find the paste at my local Mexican grocery, however I found achiote powder and dissolved it in apple cider vinegar? And I put it all in the crockpot? Topped with Greek yogurt. Yum!!!
i posted the achiote paste pork chili!! http://dukanitout.com/achiote-paste-pork-chili/
That’s why I was confused! So far this week, this is my husbands favorite. It is even better the next day”
I wish I had more time to get back to some old favorites. I’m always cooking something new!
I removed skin and as much fat as I could from the pork shoulder and marinated it in sugar-free Rootbeer overnight. I then slow cooked it with the rootbeer in the morning for about 8-9 hours. Drained all the excess fat and marinate. Yummy!
yum. i also have a rootbeer bbq sauce on the site! delicious!! Unfortunately you can’t have pulled pork on all the stages but i sure love it! i did it with pork tenderloin and pork roast and it actually turned out good too!!
Can this be cooked in a crockpot??
yes! i’d say 5-6 hours on low.
COOL!!! Thanks!!! Kudos on your site… very inspiring.