Cochinita pibil is a traditional Yucatan smoked pork with Mayan roots. Let us show you how to make this Cochinita Pibil on your Grill or Smoker for some of the most succulent pork you have ever had.
Thinly slice the red onion and place in a heat resistant bowl. Dice the habanero pepper and reserve.
Bring a pot of water to a boil then pour over the sliced onions. Stir, then let sit for 15 minutes. Drain then add to a bowl with the habaneros, allspice, and black peppercorns.
Add ½ cup of the sour orange juice to the mixture. Mix to combine, then cover and reserve until needed.
Marinade
Char the 4 whole garlic cloves and ½ white onion in a hot skillet of over an open flame, until the skins are dark and blistered.
Remove the skins and add to a food processor or blender.
Soak the achiote paste with the sour orange, and mix to disolve as much of the achiote paste as possible. Add to the food processor along with the oregano, salt, cumin, 1 habanero, and white vinegar.
Blend until well combined with a smooth consistancy.
Pork
Trim the excess fat from the outside of the pork butt. If using a whole shoulder remove the skin and exerior fat.
Score the surface of the pork butt in a checkerboard pattern, on all sides, about 1 inch deep.
Add the pork to a bowl with a lid and add the marinade. (Note: achiote may stain some plastics so glass bowls work better). Cover and allow to marinate overnight
Cooking the Cochinita Pibil
Preheat your grill or smoker to 250 degrees and set up for indirect heat.
Soak the banana leave in hot water for about 15 minutes until pliable.
Remove the pork from the marinade but reserve the marinade. Wrap the pork butt in banana leavesand tie with cooking twine. (You will still need a few pieces of banana leaves for later).
Melt the lard or butter in a small skillet over medium heat and add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice, bay leaves and black peppercorns. Cook until fragrant. Optionally you can place the lard and spices in a small cast iron pan on the grill or smoker during the first phase of cooking the pork.
Place the wrapped pork butt on the smoker and cook over indirect heat for 1.5-2 hours. You can attempt to get a smokier flavor by smoking longer but the banana leaves will tend to dry out and become brittle after about 2 hours.
Carfully remove the wrapped pork butt from the smoker and place in a cast iron Dutch oven. Unwrap the top of the posrk and add in the remaining sliced red onion, reserved marinade, and the bloomed spices with the melted lard.
Wrap the pork back up and top with additonal banana leaves. Place the top on the Dutch oven and place on the smoker. Increase the heat to 300 degrees and cook to an internal temperature of 205 degrees (typically about another 2-3 hours, but may vary).
Remove the pork from the smoker and carefully shread. Serve on corn tortillas with salsa, cilantro, and the pickled red onions.