Simplified Cochinita Tacos

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Simplified Cochinita Tacos

Cooking time:

14 hours in total
10 hours preparation
4 hours cooking

Servings: 6-8

Recipe

Ingredients:

2 kg pork shoulder or neck
80 g de achiote paste
½ tbsp oregano
3 garlic cloves
½ tbsp black pepper
½ tsp cumin
2 cloves
250 ml freshly squeezed orange juice
250 ml freshly squeezed lime juice
Sal, to taste
To serve: tortillas, Vera Mexicana Salsa Macha, lime wedges and Pickled Red Onions

Description

Cochinita, a perfect mix of flavors.

This dish from the State of Yucatan is an emblematic plate as it manages to capture many of the regional ingredients such as habanero and bitter orange, as well as Mexican staples like tortilla and achiote.

We have made a simplified version of this amazing dish by using ingredients that are easy to find around the globe so that you can make it in your own kitchen. We subbed out the plantain leaves which are traditionally used in Mexico to cook the meat for aluminum foil (we know it does not sound as great but trust us when we tell you that you will still come out with a magnificent cochinita!) and the bitter orange, that is usually only found in Yucatan, for a mixture of lime and orange juice.

For making the best tacos, you can use blue corn tortillas (if you manage to get a hand on them) or homemade ones but if you are short of time, you can also use store-bought. Be sure to top your tacos with some lime, Salsa Macha and Red Onions to add some extra taste.

Steps

Mix the achiote paste, oregano, cloves, pepper, cumin and orange and lime juice in a food processor to make your marinade.
Slice your pork meat into even-sized chunks (around 4 cm each) and place in bowl.
Mix your marinade with the pork and cover the bowl. Let it marinate in the fridge for 8-24 hours.
When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven 160 C and line an oven-safe container with aluminum foil. Pour your pork and marinade and be sure to fully cover wrap it with foil in order for it to bake properly.
Place in oven for 3-4 hours.
When your Cochinita has cooled enough to handle, shred the meat chunks with a fork.
To serve: heat up your tortillas to make your tacos and add some lime juice, Salsa Macha and Red Onions (see our Pickled Onion Recipe)
Buen provecho!

Author notes

We like to add some of our Tingly Habanero Sauce to our guacamole for some extra spice and freshness. You could also add diced fruits like mango or pineapple for a sweet twist. Let your imagination run riot!