Matteo’s Recipes - Cochinita Pibil

Ciao Ragazzi. Some dishes are more than food. They are history. They are memory. Cochinita Pibil is one of them. A dish born in the Yucatán, slow-cooked in the earth, kissed by fire and time. The pork turns to silk, the spices seep into every fiber, the achiote stains it the color of a Mayan sunset. It is not a meal. It is an inheritance.

Long ago, the Maya cooked their meat in a pib - a pit dug into the earth, lined with hot stones, covered with banana leaves and buried until the pork softened into something nearly divine. Today, we use ovens, but the spirit remains the same: patience, fire and time working together to transform something simple into something unforgettable.

Ingredients (Serves 6-8)

• 4 lbs pork shoulder, cut into large chunks

• 1/2 cup achiote paste

• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

• 1/4 cup white vinegar

• 6 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

• 2 banana leaves (or aluminum foil, if unavailable)

• Pickled red onions, for serving

• Warm corn tortillas, for serving

Instructions

1. Marinate the pork – In a large bowl, mix the achiote paste with orange juice, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon and cloves. Stir until smooth. Add the pork, turning to coat every piece. Cover and let it rest. Overnight is best. Twelve hours of patience will give you something unforgettable.

2. Prepare the banana leaves – If using banana leaves, pass them over an open flame or a hot pan to make them pliable. They should smell like the jungle; green and smoky.

3. Wrap and roast – Line a baking dish with the banana leaves, leaving enough overhang to wrap the meat. Place the marinated pork inside, pour in any remaining marinade, and fold the leaves over to seal. Cover tightly with foil.

4. Cook low and slow – Roast at 300°F (150°C) for at least four hours. No shortcuts. No rushing. The pork must collapse at the touch of a fork. The flavors must merge, the meat must surrender.

5. Shred and serve – Unwrap the package. The aroma will tell you everything you need to know. Use two forks to pull the pork apart. Serve with pickled red onions and warm corn tortillas. Eat with your hands. Food like this deserves to be touched.

Cochinita Pibil is not just food. It is patience. It is tradition. It is the proof that the best things in life take time.