February 3 2021 recipe by Kristina Wetter![Kristina Wetter]()
, foto by , nutritional review by Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE![Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE]()
in Recipes, Main course
, foto by , nutritional review by Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE
in Recipes, Main course Slow cooker Mexican Cochinita Pibil
This traditional Yucatecan dish is cooked at a low temperature for several hours for an incredibly tender and juicy result. Cochinita Pibil gets its beautiful red color and mild peppery flavor from the Achiote spice. Decorated with pickled red onion, this Mexican jewel is sure to please the eye and the belly.
USMetric
servingservings
Ingredients
Pork and marinade
- ½ cup 120 ml orange juice
- ¾ cup 180 ml lemon juice
- 1¾ oz. 50 g achiote paste
- 1 tbsp 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp 1 tbsp coriander, ground
- 3 3 garlic clovegarlic cloves
- 1 tbsp 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp 2 tbsp white vinegar 5%
- 1 tsp 1 tsp salt
- 3 lbs 1.4 kg pork shoulder
Pickled onions
- 2 (8 oz.) 2 (220 g) red onionred onions
- ¾ cup 180 ml lemon juice
- ¾ cup 180 ml orange juice
- 1 1 habanero pepperhabanero peppers
Serving
- ½ cup (¼ oz.) 120 ml (8 g) fresh cilantro chopped
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www.dietdoctor.com
Making low carb simple
Instructions
- To prepare the marinade, add the orange juice, lemon juice, achiote paste, cumin, coriander, garlic, oregano, white vinegar, and a bit of salt to a blender or a food processor. Process until the mixture is homogeneous. Set aside.
- Cut the pork into 1.5" (4 cm) pieces, place them in a container, pour the marinade and toss to fully coat. Cover the container and let it rest in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight for maximum flavor.
- Add the meat and the marinade to the slow cooker and rotate with tongs until pork is evenly coated with marinade. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
- While pork is cooking, cut the red onions into strips and chop the habanero pepper. Put them in a glass container and pour the orange and lemon juice on top. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
- Once the pork is finished, remove it from the slow cooker and let rest until it’s cooled down enough to handle. Use two forks to shred the meat.
- Add shredded pork back into the slow cooker with the juices and the marinade.
- Serve with pickled onions and chopped coriander on top.
Marinating
Cooking
Serving
Tip
If you want to prepare "tacos de cochinita pibil", you can have a look at our keto tortillas.
Pickled onions can be stored for up to 5 days in the fridge, and the meat for up to 4 days in the fridge, or 2 months in the freezer.
Special equipment needed
Blender or food processor.
Slow cooker.
Other ways to cook Cochinita Pibil
Once marinated, Cochinita Pibil is traditionally wrapped up in banana leaves, tied with a natural fiber cord, and then cooked for 4 hours in the oven at 325°F (160°C).
Hi Carol, I am not sure. I have asked the recipe team for assistance.
https://www.eastsidetable.org/tip/achiote-substitute/
Hi, Claudia! I found this recipe that may work for you! https://www.rachaelrayshow.com/recipes/easy-substitute-for-achiote-pa...
1. (laziness) Instead of juicing many oranges and lemons, I use the "pickling vinegar" (12%) that is found in all the Swedish grocery stores. I figured that 5% (of something) would be similar in acidity to the orange/lemon-juice mixture, so I dilute it with water (3 parts water : 2 parts of the vinegar) and make about 400 ml. I make a similar mixture for pickling the onions.
2. (laziness) Instead of making achiote paste, I use 50 ml of sambal oelek (Indonesian chili paste) that is also easy to find in Swedish grocery stores. Here's a recipe for it (that I've not tried): https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/sauces/sambal...
3. (circumstances) In moving to Sweden, we lost most of our cooking appliances (which take only 110 V) including the trusty slow cooker. So, I cook the pork covered in a Dutch oven in the (actual) oven for about 4 hours at 120 C (250 F).
With all of the changes, it still comes out very tasty (and all of us prefer the version with sambal oelek compared to my attempt at making achiote paste and using it).
Any subs for the habanero? Is the achiote spicy?
The spice level on this can vary. Achiote is a little spicy but not very (usually!)
https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-achiote-paste-2342971
A habanero is generally spicy and you may wish to omit it to keep the heat level in check.