Cochinita Pibil Tacos with Xnipec
The true essence of Yucatecan street food wrapped in a tortilla: incredibly juicy shredded pork marinated in achiote and citrus, topped with spicy pickled red onions.
170 min
Yucateca
4 servings
The story behind
You have no idea how much I absolutely love eating this, it instantly puts me in a great mood. The very first time I tried authentic cochinita pibil was at a beachside food shack in the peninsula. The contrast between the melt-in-your-mouth pork and the sharp, spicy kick of the red onions with habanero completely blew me away. A local friend told me that 'Xnipec' literally translates to 'dog's nose' in Mayan, named as a joke because the salsa is spicy enough to make your nose sweat just like a puppy's. It is the absolute perfect meal for a family Sunday lunch, one of those days where you place a huge platter in the middle of the table and everyone builds their own tacos. It goes wonderfully with warm corn tortillas and a wedge of fresh lime squeezed on top. To drink, a large glass of ice-cold horchata or a crisp light beer is mandatory to cool down the fiery habanero heat.
Instructions
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1Blend the achiote paste with the sour orange juice, a pinch of salt, pepper, and a dash of dried oregano until you have a smooth marinade.
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2Pour the marinade over the pork chunks, tossing well, and let it rest in the fridge for at least an hour to absorb all the delicious flavors.
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3Line a deep baking dish with the banana leaves, place the meat and all its juices inside, wrap it tightly with the overlapping leaves, and bake at 180°C for two and a half hours until fork-tender.
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4While the meat is roasting, make the Xnipec salsa by tossing the sliced red onions with the minced habanero, vinegar or lime juice, and a pinch of salt; let it sit to pickle.
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5Once the pork is completely cooked, remove it from the banana leaves and shred it entirely using two forks, mixing it right back into its pan juices so it stays extra moist.
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6Warm up your tortillas on a griddle until they are perfectly soft and pliable.
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7Assemble your tacos by piling a generous amount of juicy cochinita pibil onto a tortilla and topping it with plenty of the pickled Xnipec onions.
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