Cochinita Pibil

Ingredients:

3.5 pounds pork butt or shoulder roast, bone in.

½ pound banana leaves

1 large white or yellow onion ¼ inch slices

½ cup water

Achiote Marinade:

¼ cup annatto powder

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon ground oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground clove

2 3/4 teaspoon salt

7 cloves of garlic peeled and roughly chopped

1/4 cup orange juice

½ cup lime juice

1/3 cup white vinegar

Pickled Onions:

1 large red onion thinly sliced

¼ cup lime juice

½ teaspoon salt

Instructions:

Achiote Paste

1.      Blend all ingredients in blender to a smooth consistency

Meat

1.      Line crockpot with banana leaves. Place one strip running one way and another strip running crosswise.

2.      Place roast on banana leaves on crock pot

3.      Sprinkle white onion slices over roast

4.      Pour Achiote paste over roast

5.      Pour ½ cup water in bottom of crock pot

6.      Set crock pot to high for 6 to 7 hours. It is done when meat is fall apart tender.

Pickled Onions

1.      While meat is cooking, combine sliced red onion with ¼ cup lime juice and ½ teaspoon salt.

2.      Toss and refrigerate.

3.      Toss from time to time.

Serving

1.      Once roast is done, remove from crock pot and shred the meat with two forks.

2.      Place liquid from crock pot in a bowl and skim off the fat. Add 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon hot sauce to add a slight heat. This sauce is drizzled over the meat when served. The sauce by itself tastes extremely salty. However, when just a little drizzled onto the dish it does not taste very salty. 

3.      Serve on warmed tortillas as tacos or on a bed of rice or in a burrito with rice and/or beans. Drizzle sauce over meat and sprinkle picked onions on top.